Killian Saga: Bloodline
by Stefanie24
Summary: Being 16 is bad enough but for Gabrielle it's only the beginning once her family move into the most famous house in Jellico, TN.Not sure why she is going through the things she going through she must find out the truth about the house and it's past


KILLIAN SAGA

BLOODLINE

KILLINA SAGA

BLOODLINE

BOOK 1

SNH

The writing of this novel is the work of fiction. All characters and events are either work of the Author's creative imagination and/or used in a fictitiously matter.

Killian Saga: Bloodline. Copyright © 2010 by SNH; All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

**May 2, 2008**

**Today was the last day I was going to see my old home, the one place I thought I was going to call my (permanent) home. But of course I was totally wrong again! In the fifteen almost sixteen years, I have been breathing the air on this planet I have moved over twenty times, but last time I thought it was all over since it was the first time we stayed somewhere for any length of time. Usually it's a few months here and there, but back at the old place we were actually there for almost five years. And it was great! I loved every minute of it, I mean I had both sets of grandparents there and I was actually making some progress with some things that my parents never thought I would have anything to do with. I finally had a best friend that I could talk to (God I'm going to miss Ariel); I was getting ready to start my first job, until I was caught off guard about the move; and the most important, (well to me it's important, must be where they get that I'm selfish thing from) I actually met a guy not so much as met I've known him for awhile, but I really liked him even though my father says I'm too young for boys! Now it's all a thing of the past like everything else in my life! What kind of life is this for a child? I have never had a stable place to call home my whole entire life until recently but now that is taken from me; I guess I will never know what it's like to live somewhere for so long until I'm out on my own which I have two years to wait.**

**Now I sit here in the front seat of the Tahoe, next to my mother for almost ten hours, (which seemed more like eternity to get to this new place we are going in the middle of nowhere); I keep on asking myself the same question over and over again in my head, how could she just thinks it's okay to up and move me whenever she feels like it. Out of all people, she should know how it feels to be bounced around as a child. Sometime I truly hate her, and for my father, well I just think he just goes along with it to keep her happy even though he swears to God this is he's doing this time around. **

**Does anyone ever think about me? **

**Do they ever wonder how this going to affect me?**

**I could go on and on about all this but I know that's not the only thing bothering me. Now I have to start all over again! Meet new people, make new friends which I hate doing cause I feel so out of place. Luckily, I have to whole entire summer to work on that, so I won't be walking into the school in the middle of the year as the new person, like always. I hated that so much, people staring at you, whisper behind you, making you wonder if there's something wrong with you. I always felt sorry the new kids that came after I did, I could understand their pain completely and I try so hard to be nice and talk to them. Which my parents would never believe, cause in their eyes I'm such a drama queen and completely selfish. Well their right to a certain point, but that's beside the point!**

**Will I ever find happiness with all this craziness in my life?**

**Well from the looks of it, were almost to the new place about a couple more minutes. So I'm going to try and leave on a good note and try to be positive! **

**Wish me luck! **

– **Gabby**

Chapter 1

Home Sweet Home

After all the driving, we were almost to the new place that we were going to have to call home now, in this small town they call Jellico in the middle of nowhere of Tennessee. Thank God, we were going to be stopping here soon I was starting to get a cramp in my leg from the little bit of space I had to move around in. Maybe I should have waited and wrote in my journal at a later time; but I had so much on my mind and figured it would be best to get it out now, before it was too late. Watching as the straight stretch continued to come towards us, it looked as if was never going to end. I found myself peeking over both sides of the road realizing that there weren't that many people living on this road from what I could tell, but then again I really wasn't paying any attention earlier when we first turned onto the road. Looking back at the windshield, there appeared to be a driveway on the right hand side of the road come up.

"That must be the place," I heard my mother mutter out, right when I was thinking it.

Tuning out the annoying clicking sound from the right turn signal that Mom flipped on; letting Dad know, who was driving behind us in the moving truck, that we would be making our last right turn of the trip. The driveway got closer to us by the second, my heart beat started to race the closer we got. Starting to feel out of breath and feeble from the sudden rush, I felt as if I was going to pass out at any moment. Trying my hardest to stretch as much as possible in the little area of my seat, I thought to myself, _it must be from sitting here for so long and not really moving around._

Slowing coming to the right hand turn and taking it not as fast as a normal person would, I couldn't believe what was in front of us. A stone wall about eight feet away from the road with two gates at each end of the driveway. Looking through the open gate we were about to enter and following the dramatically large horse shoe shape driveway in front of the house. It appears there has to be at least one to two football fields between the wall and the middle of the driveway, and other one to two fields to the house. Staring up at the house, I could see that the house didn't appear to be in as bad as shape as I thought it may have been from what all I had heard about it.

With my heart still racing, the strangest feeling started slowly creeping up my spine. At the moment it was hard to tell if it was exactly; good, bad, all I knew was that soon enough I was going to find out due to the fact that the feeling was becoming stronger the closer we got to the place. I started wondering if I was the only one feeling this; whatever this thing was. Glancing over at my mother, seeing if maybe if she feeling anything similar to me. But instead she had the look of a child who just stepped into a candy store, allowed to go to town on whatever her heart desired. Her big green eyes were wider than I ever seen before, along with her smile to match her eyes. I felt the urge to snap my fingers in front of her face, but I figured it won't help out any at the moment.

Once we were stopped in the center of the driveway, I found myself still looking up at the old house. Looking up at it just seemed to make the feeling a lot stronger than it at the bottom of the driveway. There was something not right here, but what? I could feel it in the pit of my stomach, that there was something off about all of this. Looking away from the house and forcing myself to get a hold of myself; I slowly opened the door to the Tahoe, and could see that I was right about what I thought, from the feeling became overbearing from the sudden burst of air I felt as soon as the door was open.

"What have we gotten ourselves into this time?" I softly whispered out.

Holding on to the door of the Tahoe, from the weakness I was feeling at the moment from this strange sensation I was getting from the house. I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold on. The feeling was taking over my whole entire body, making it impossible to stand let alone breathe. For some reason I found myself staring up at the house not really knowing why, it was as if something was calling to me or making me. Staring up at it my vision was starting to get hazing and the feeling of fainting started slowly creeping up. Even though my vision wasn't quite right due to whatever it was taking over me; I notice something different in front of me. Squinting trying to make out the object in front of me; I had come to find that it was my mother, who had stepped right in front of me blocking my view of the house. It seemed for some reason with her standing there in front me; I was able to breathe normally again and the weakness I felt had gone away except for the numb sensation of my right leg from it falling asleep on the way here, so much for a cramp that I could of handle a lot better than this. Forcing myself to standing as straight as possible I decided that I was going to try to walk. Putting my left leg out in front of me and dragged my right leg with it, trying to hobbling over to the other side of my mother, hoping not to fall flat on my face. But within a couple of steps from the Tahoe, my right leg started to wake bringing on the pins and needles sensation that began jabbing into my leg several times making it feel like jell-o. With the new sensation in my leg, I started to lose my balance and found myself going down face first.

"Ouch!"

"Gabrielle, are you okay?" I heard from behind in a distance.

Lifting myself off the ground to look back towards where I heard the voice coming from to find my father making his way over to me.

"Yeah Dad, I'm fine; Leg was asleep! You know how that can be sometimes!"

"Oh I see. Well as long as you're okay! You took a pretty hard drive from the looks of where I was!"

"Yeah, I did! But I'm good! Promise, if I was hurt you would be the first to know!" I smiled at him, hoping he would drop it.

"Alright, you know it's kind of funny to see a dancer fall flat on her face!" he laughed out trying to make a cute little joke.

"You're so funny, Dad!"

"I'm just messing with you kiddo! Now come on let's get up here and see what your mom thinks of the new place!"

Helping me up back to my feet, Dad quickly wrapped his arm around my waist, holding me up like a crutch to walk on. I smiled at him, showing that I did appreciate his help, but found myself looking back up towards my mother, who was still standing in the same spot that she was, when I first got out of the Tahoe. She hadn't moved or anything. I don't even think she knew I fell. Some mother, what if I was seriously hurt?

Making our way over beside her, where she gazed at the house with the same look she had earlier when we first pulled up. Just watching her was disturbing none the less. Then the thought of what had happened when I got out of the truck also made me a little uneasy about this whole thing. Who knows what all would of happened if my mother won't of step out in front me, like my own personal shield. Maybe I just got myself all worked up from the drive and being upset, maybe that was the feeling I was having. They do say that the mind can play tricks on you, right? But the look on her face and with everything that had happened in the last couple of minutes a strange sensation ran though me.

"Mother, snap out of it!" I found myself shouted out while snapping my fingers in her face like I thought about doing in the truck.

Shaking her head then glancing over toward Dad and me with the most pitiful face ever. Her smiled had faded along with her eyes sunk back into normal position. She now looked as if she was going to cry, like as if I just had done something terrible!

"Inez…. Are you okay?"

"Oh yes Charles, isn't it unbelievable? I can't believe my eyes!"

"Well I think it's absolutely gorgeous! What do you think Gabrielle?" he replied back sounding please with Inez's answer.

For once they were asking me what I thought! But the question now as do I lie or tell the truth. Contemplating at the moment trying to figure out what exactly to say, I felt my heart start to race again along with my face becoming hot, without a second to spare, I blurted out with no intense on how it would of affect them, "I hate it!"

"You hate it?" they both shouted.

"I just hate it! I want to go back home! I don't like this place there's something wrong with it!"

"We've only been here for a few minutes, how can you already hate it?" Charles asked me, as he pulled away from me.

"Well of course it's not in the best of shape so it's going to have a few things wrong with it, no one has lived here in years!" stated Inez staring straight at me, with her disbelieving look again, "This is your home now, and you're just going to have to accept it!"

"No it's not! It will never be home!" I screamed as I was tried to control my balance, since my right leg still didn't want to work with me.

"Gabrielle! Stop arguing with your mother right this instanced!"

"But Daddy….. This is not fair! There's something not right here, I know it! I can………"

"Well Gabby life's not fair….." Inez said interrupting me in the middle of my sentence.

"Don't call me Gabby, Mother! It's Gabrielle! And I'm sick of moving around! I don't want to do this anymore! Why can't you understand that?"

"Why can't you understand this is how we make our living? We have been doing this for so long, we figure you were used to it by now. It would be no different, if your father or I were in any other job. You always have the possibility of moving in your job."

"Well we're not in any other job, and we don't have to be in this one either. Why can't you guys be normal like everyone else parents and stop dragging me all over the place?"

"That's is it young lady, I don't want to hear another word out of you for the rest of the day, if all your going to do is back talk your mother! I suggest you go inside and figure out what room you want, and I'll start bringing up some of your stuff for you to unpack!" Charles shouted this time stepping in between my mother and me to make sure he got his point across this time.

Feeling completely blown away, by the way I just heard him speak to me. He had never raised his voice to me like that before, but I could tell by the look on his face that he was serious.

"But Daddy….."

"There is no but Daddy, Gabrielle! Now go do as you're told!"

Throwing my arms up in the air looking as if I was going to drop down to the ground and throw a fit, I found myself shouting in his face," Oh you always take her side, Daddy!"

Watching his face for a moment, waiting for any sign that he might feel somewhat awful for how he just talked to me, but I could tell that he wasn't going to budget from this one. Feeling annoyed from everything, I quickly turned around and stormed off seeing that I wasn't going to win this time. Making my way up the yard towards the place they were calling home this time around, I glanced back at them several times with a hateful look hoping it would make them feel bad for making me move again. But each time looking back at them, I saw how they just stood there watching me making my way up to the house with a disappointment written all over their faces.

After a couple of steps I started to feel a little upset after seeing the look on their faces as they watched me walk away with such hatred. Deep down I know I would start to feel bad for the way I acted and talk to them, but I was so angry with them making me move for the millionth time. This time I wanted them to know how I actually felt about all of this for once, not caring how they feel about it. All I knew was I was hurt, angry, upset, and everything in between.

"I cannot believe they are doing this again to me! What did I ever do to them for them to do this to me!?" I wanted to yell out to the world hoping someone would hear me and take me away from this horrid place, but not wanting to upset them anymore than I already had I just whispered it myself.

Walking up the yard that felt like a never ending journey, I was shock to see that I had finally made it to the steps of the front porch after all of that. Standing there looking up at the old run down house, I notice that it was a lot bigger than it appeared down in the middle of the driveway where I protested against her parents. I always thought it was crazy that a girl of my age, knew some much about houses. But then again, when your parents do nothing but restore houses, you just kind of pick up on everything that is going on around you. Auditing the house from where I stood it appeared the house's style seemed to be plantation house or possibly a mansion of some sort with its architect design. Unable to clearly see what the color the house may have be due to all the dirty and damage from the weather, I was guessing it was sort of a creamy maybe ivory color with dark shutters possibly black. The front porch looked to wrap around the house which was a lot larger than I had seen on most houses. Still standing there examining the house, I could tell that this house was once a beautiful wonder of some sort. Glancing back down the yard towards my parents seeing if they were still there thinking maybe they would disappear so I could run away from all of this, but instead they were still there looking around the yard and talking among their selves. Turning back to the house, inhaling and exhaling out loud I finally decide to take my first step up stairs to the porch.

Once at top, I saw the door straight in front of me. Take slow steps to the door, listening to the old porch make it noises as I walked a crossed it. Within being about foot away from the door, I notice that the front door was very different from any I had seen before. The door was oddly bigger than normal just like everything else I seen of the house so far. There appeared to be a very strange design on the door, that looked to be carved into it but it was so hard to tell what it was due to some substances that was covering the door. Knowing that I shouldn't even dare to touch the door especially with it having something on it and not knowing what it was but found myself unable to control myself as if something was telling me to touch the door. Running my hand from the top of the door as far as I could reach, moving it slowly down the door. Tracing the design with the tips of my fingers, I was still unable to tell what the craving was. Still running my hand over the door not paying attention I brought my hand down to the side of the door, and hit it on something very hard and cold.

"Oh that hurt!"

Trying to ease the pain of my hand by rubbing it, I found myself looking at the door to see what it was that I had hit. Assuming it was more than likely the door knob, I was shocked to see the door knob was not just any original door knob that you would find on a door. It was a lion's head. In shock to see a lion's head in the place of a door knob, I found myself eager to touch it again. Rubbing the head it looked a little weird for its size. The head was a little big to be on a door, but for the actual size of this door it actually was perfect. The lion's mane was very large around its head, with big eyes standing out as if it was saying he was watching your every move. There was a very large ring clinched between the lion's teeth. Placing my hand on the ring I laughed, "I always thought that these were made for knocking on doors, not opening them!"

Lifting the ring up with my once throbbing hand, it felt so cold at the touch that it sent chills throughout my body. Looking the ring over, raising it a little higher then placing it back down, nothing seemed too happened. Picking the ring back up moving it side to side thinking it may do something, but instead it just slid around in the lion's mouth. Becoming very aggravated all the sudden; I grabbed the ring one last time throwing it down. The ring smacked down on the door, my ears started ringing from the sound the metal hitting the door but then the sound of a clicking popped into the air with the clinging sound. Looking at the door, nothing seemed to happen. The feeling of frustration flowed through me from the annoyance of not being able to get in the house suddenly.

"What the…. Great now, I got to walk all the way back down the yard to Mom and Dad, and tell them I can't get in this stupid place!"

Turning away from the door, heading for the stairs to make long drawn out trip back down the yard again.

CCCCRRRRREEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK………………

Just getting halfway down the steps I tried to stop in the middle of going down to the next step due to the sound of what I thought the door may have opened. Fighting to keep from falling, I quickly tossed my hands up quickly grasping a hold of the wall of the stairs trying to stop from falling. With my chest against the wall, I glanced back up at the door, seeing that the door had opened some. The feeling of fear shot right down my spine as I stood there just staring at the door. Debating on whether to going in or not would be a good idea, I felt so overwhelmed from all the emotions and questions swimming around in my head. Feeling trapped at the moment from not knowing exactly what I should do, I glanced back down at my parents then throwing a look back at the door. Eagerness and curiosity seemed to get the best of me at the moment, making me push away the fear and head straight for the door. Tip toeing back up to the old door again, from the looks of where I was the door seemed to open a quarter of the way.

Walking up upon the door, my chest start to feel as if it was get tight making it hard to breath, then shortly followed tickling sensation taken over my entire body. Once up to the door, I tried to peek inside the house, but with only a small amount of light coming in from behind me and no windows, I was only able to discover darkness. Placing my right hand onto the door, chills went up my arm causing goose bumps to appear. I wanted to walk away at the moment, I wanted to go back down to where my parents were and do this with them right here with me, but for some strange odd reason I felt once again as if something was telling me to go on and do it. Taking in as big of a breath that my lungs would allow me, I throw my left hand up with the right hand and pushed on the door.

Nothing, the door won't budge.

Removing my hands from the door, wondering if maybe it was stuck, I decide to try and push it open again before I walked away. Placing my hands back on the door leaning in, putting all my weight into it, I could feel the door gradually working with me and opening. The annoying creaking noise came back filling the air, pushing and pushing the door came to a halt, turning to see what was waiting for us, I felt my eyes widen from the site that was laid out in front of me.

*

Staring out into our new yard in front of our new place, Inez and I just watched in amazement as our daughter storm off up to the house until once she was out of site. Glancing over at Inez, I could see the hurt look on her face, trying to hold the tears back. It pain me so badly to see her like this, I never thought that my family would be the way we are. Sometime I just wished I could just make it all go away, disappear like none of it ever happens, but I didn't have the first clue on how or where to begin. It was just a hard fact to accept that the woman that you loved dearly and the child she gave you; couldn't stand each other leaving me always in the middle of their battles.

Sensing me staring at her, I watched as she turned towards me taking in a deep breath and letting it out as she commented, "Sometime I wonder what I ever did for her to act the way that she does!"

"Inez, you didn't do anything!"

"Well Charles, how else to do you explain her attitude towards me?" she cried out letting a tear roll down her cheek.

"Gabrielle is just at that age and she was just getting comfortable at the old house."

"That's easy for you to say, she listens to you Charles! It's like I'm the bad parent all the time. I mean she doesn't know what it's like not having anything at all! She should be grateful for what she has, and she's not! "

"Inez….. Sweetheart, I'm pretty sure it's not that. Just give it some time; I'm sure her attitude will change," I tried to reassuring to her, hoping that things would get better between her and Gabrielle, "I know it's hard on you. You just want Gabrielle to have the life you didn't. Maybe if you talk to her more about you not knowing your family and having to grow up in an orphanage/foster care for so long until the Creekmores came along maybe she would understand you a little more."

"If you say so Charles, let's just get some of the stuff in the house before it gets too late," Inez snapped out at me, not wanting to hear about how her life was when she was younger.

Inez pushed right past me making her way over to the moving truck. Watching her open the passenger door to the truck, I found myself at a loss with words. Nothing I was thinking made any sense; I had no clue how to fix this situation. Maybe Gabrielle was right, maybe this move was the wrong call. Looking back and forth between the house where my upset daughter was and the moving truck where my upset wife was, I just felt so hopeless. I knew saying something about Inez not knowing her family and being an orphan was not a good idea, but it's was the truth. Gabrielle has some much more than her mother did at the age of fifteen. Inez would have given anything to have her real family, and now she does and it's falling apart all around her. Deep down I wished that Gabrielle wouldn't fight with her mother the way that she does and would understand where her mother was coming from and possibly maybe get mad at me every once in awhile. But it never works that way; it's always Gabrielle bumping heads with her mother.

"Maybe one day, I will understand all of this!" I muttered to myself.

Looking back at the house one more time, I turned to see Inez still digging around in the front of the moving truck in a box. Walking over to join her, I could hear her mumbling something to herself.

Hearing my footsteps coming up behind her, she turned and quickly asked, "Charles where the drawing of the house and the list of our stuff?"

"You put them in the Tahoe with you. Clear folder in black bag."

"Oh yeah that's right. Sorry, I wasn't thinking." She apologized walking over to the Tahoe.

Shaking my head at her as she disappeared around the side of the SUV, knowing that she wasn't going to be able to do any unpacking until she was completely organized and know where everything was and where she wanted it in the house. Thinking about her doing her thing actually made me feel a little at ease due to the fact that if she got busy unpacking and moving things around, then she won't be second guessing herself on how she raised Gabrielle, if what we were doing for a living was the right thing. But even with that thought in mind I still couldn't shake off the feeling that this was more of my fault than anyone's. I should have never suggested to Inez for us to take this job. I just thought maybe it would give us a fresh start as a family since this was the place that Inez and I were original from.

"So…Have you figured out how you want to do this or where to start?" I starting asking wanting to get my mind on something else rather than dwelling on something I couldn't change now.

"Well I think we should probably go on get out Gabrielle's stuff, to give her something to do, before she blows up again."

"Inez!"

"I'm sorry, Charles! I didn't mean it like that; it just came out all wrong."

"It's okay, dear! It's been a long eventful day for all of us!" I replied back while walking over to where she was, grabbing her arm and pulling her towards me so I could wrap my arms around her to let her know I did understand.

Pressing her hands against my chest so she could look into my eyes, I watched her start to smile and not cry. All I could do was just stand there and hold her as tight as I could, lean my head down until my lips touch her sooth warm forehead. Watching Inez close her eyes, taking in a deep breath feeling her body loosen up with that very breath she took in and released.

"Charles?"

"Yes dear?"

"Quit staring at me!"

"Oh, I'm sorry! You just looked so beautiful like…………."

"That's beside the point; we're supposed to be working." She interrupted me, still laughing, playfully pushing me away.

"Okay, so how about this, you get in the truck and start hanging me things, and I sort it by piles?"

"How about this we get her stuff out first, so she will have something to keep her busy, while we bring in other stuff."

"That works for me and this time it sounded a lot better!"

Inez just stood there for just a second with a big smile on her face this time, shaking her head while letting out a giggle as she grabbed my hand, pulling me along with her to the back of the moving truck.

"You know that is an awfully long walk to be making carrying boxes and furniture," Inez stated once we were at the back of the truck preparing to open the door of the trailer, "Maybe we should take the trucks up the yard that way it's not that long of a trip for either of us."

"Yeah I think your right!" I answered back, looking up in the same direction she was and seeing what she met.

"You go first then I'll bring up the Tahoe, okay?"

"Alright, I'll see you up there in a minute."

Quickly kissing her on the cheek, I made my way around to the cab of the truck. Opening the door and getting situated in the seat, checking my mirrors to see where Inez was, I come to find out she wasn't where I had left her. Wondering where she had gone, I quickly looked out my window and see her walking up the side of the truck so far over that she was in my blind spot. She waved a small little wave with a quick little smile to go with it. I waved back along with turning the keys making the engine roar under the hood of the truck. Slowing putting the truck in reverse, I looked out my mirrors again, doubt checking everything around me before I started moving. Lifting my foot off the brake very slowly still I felt the truck starting to move backwards. Looking in front of me one more time seeing that Inez was up next to the driver's door of the Tahoe watching my every move. Once I was far enough back, I threw the truck into drive taking it up beside the Tahoe. Looking over at Inez once again, I notice that she wasn't watching me anymore; she was staring down at the bottom left side of the driveway. I tried to look in my mirror to see what she was looking at but was unable to see anything. Placing my foot back on the brake bringing the truck to a complete stop, I glanced out my side window looking down in the same direction Inez was looking, but seen nothing. Maybe she heard something or maybe she's just looking around.

Turning back to the steering wheel, and shifting the truck back into reverse once again. Cutting the wheel, slowly letting off the brake while watching my every move very careful from my mirrors, as I started backing up the yard to the house. But I found myself unable to stop wondering what had Inez's attention. Glancing over towards the family vehicle again, I saw that she wasn't there anymore. Pressing down on the brake pedal harder than usual, making the truck come to a screeching halt. I quickly throw my eyes around the yard, but still no sign of Inez. I looked closely again at the Tahoe to see if she was inside of the truck, but I couldn't tell if someone was in the vehicle or not due to the tinted windows. Realizing that I seen her looking down at the bottom of the driveway, my eyes traveled back down to where I looked early, the same exact spot Inez was looking at a few minutes earlier. From the angle I was at, it was very hard to make a clear picture of anything, due to the fact the sun was right in my eyes from where I stopped the truck but it looked as there were a couple of figures moving around in a way, but I couldn't be for sure.

After several different attempts of trying to make the figures out, I decide to hurry and back the truck up the rest of the way, and get the hell out of the truck to see what was going on! Releasing the brake once again, I quickly place my foot on the gas pedal pressing it down. Once moving again, all I had to do now was keep going straight back a few more feet and I would be done, and on my way to see what was going on. Looking back and forth through my mirrors, not able to judge my distance anymore, I finally decide to hang my head out the window to get a better view. Rolling the window down as fast as my hand and the crank handle would go, I finally had a big enough opening to stick my head out of. Out the window my head went, looking back towards the house, realizing I was going a little too fast and closer to the house than I excepted. Releasing the gas pedal and switching my foot over to the brake. I repeatedly started stomping away on the pedal, hoping that maybe I would get lucky and stop. The truck didn't seem to slow down, and the house was getting closer. Taking a deep breath and not putting a lot of thought into what my next move would be. Automatically my hand went the shifter with my foot still above the brake and in a single second at the exact same time, I throw the truck into neutral and slammed on the brake.

Feeling the truck jerk, and hearing the engine grind. I flung forward hitting my chest against the steering wheel knocking out the all the air that was in me then smacking back against the seat, I sat there for a moment waiting to hear the loud crash and screams coming from all directions, but instead I heard nothing but the engine of the truck sounding as if was going to exploded in any second. Grabbing the shifter and throwing it up in park, then turning the key immediately to the off position. Grabbing the handle to the door and fighting with it for a second. Finally the door flung open to making it where I could hop out of the truck. Grasping for air, I dropped straight out onto my knees on the ground. I glanced up and looked back towards the house, and seen that I had stop with just enough room. Then I heard the engine go with a loud pop and could see the smoke rolling out from it along with the smell of something burning. Pushing myself up off the ground, turning back to the truck and all I could do was laugh at myself, "Now that was a trip!"

Chapter 2

The Dannos

"Charles?" I heard faintly coming from behind me, "Charles, are you okay?"

Scanning the yard once again, I heard the voice call my name again.

"Charles?"

Finally realizing the voice was coming from the bottom of the drive way. I spun around, to see Inez and what appeared to be three other people walking with her up the driveway. Opening and closing my eyes, trying to focus due to the sun setting being right in my site.

"I'm okay, Inez! Just a little trouble with the truck that's all!" I shouted back, not wanted to admit what really happened or have her worried.

Still staring towards the end of the driveway, watching as this small group was heading my way. Once I was able to see them better, I was able to tell that it was a male and two females walking up with Inez. The male appeared to be a little taller than the three women he was walking with from the looks of it his skin seem to be a very unique color compare to the others also, it appeared more of a yellowish-brown color with jet black hair for contrast. He appeared to be built very well for his height and size, plus the way he dressed it looked as if he was heading to a meeting of some sort. The two women walking with him looked very much alike for what I was able to tell at the moment, must be mother and daughter. They were both about the same size and height, but the one female who I was assuming was the mother, skin was very average color like Inez or mine, but with a little bit of a small tan to it. Her hair was more of a dark brown with red highlights in it from the way the sun shined on it. The other female, she was lot darker than the first female I looked at, and her hair was more of a medium brown color. For their faces, I still couldn't make out for they were still too far away for me to make out. Out of curiosity, I started walking towards them. Meeting them about half way, it hit me that Gabrielle was still up in the house. I haven't heard any screaming and yelling, nothing that sound like she was tearing the place down, and the only thing I could smell was the engine of the moving truck so she hasn't caught the place on fire yet. She's a tough girl; I know she could handle anything that came her way.

After walking back up the driveway with her new found friends, I heard Inez say "I'm sorry Charles, but you were already moving and couldn't hear me yelling for you. So when I seen the Dannos walking up from the road, decided to go down there to meet them."

"Oh! You did? I'm sorry Inez……"

"It's okay Charles," she laughed as she cut me off from finishing what I was about to say, "Anyways, Charles this is Mr. and Mrs. Danno and their daughter. They lived right down the road on the right."

"Oh well hello there, Charles Lucius." I laughed reaching out my hand as a friendly gesture.

"Botan and this is my wife, Suki and this one here is our daughter Aya," the man answered back, as he brought his hand out to meet mine in a handshake.

"Well it's nice to meet you!"

"Same here, Mr. Lucius…."

"Oh please call me Charles."

"Okay, Charles. We would introduce you to our son, but he is gone at this present moment." Suki replied, cutting her husband from talking anymore.

"Oh you have a son also?"

"Yes, our son. His name is Keitaro, or what he tells people to call him Kei. He's out right now with some friends."

"Oh too bad, it would have been nice to meet him with the rest of you." Inez responded with a giant smile on her face, just staring at the Danno's as they were the picture perfect family.

"Do you have any children?" Suki asked, breaking Inez out of her train of thought

"Oh yes, we have a daughter, her name is Gabrielle. She's already up at the house." I answered before Inez could even think about answering.

Looking over at Inez, I saw her look down at the ground as I answered, as if she was ashamed of our daughter.

"How old is she?" Suki quickly asked.

"She's fifteen, turning sixteen in the month or so."

"Well there you go Aya, now you have a girl around your age that lives nearby!" Botan shouted to his daughter in excitement as he throwing his arm around her shoulders.

"How old are you Aya?" I founded myself asking out of curiosity.

"I just turned sixteen like two months ago, sir."

"Please you don't have to call me sir. Just makes me feel old. Please just call me, Charles."

"Well I'm sorry if I offend you."

"Oh I'm not offended, I'm actually flattered!"

"Aya, it's okay. If Mr. Lucius, I mean Charles says you can call him by his first name and ask not to be called sir, its fine. You're still respecting him by doing as he asks." Suki explained to Aya.

"Okay then, Mr. Luc… I mean Charles."

"We'll work out it, kiddo!"

Overlooking the family again, Botan looked exactly the way I seen him from down the yard, but he's facial features were very unique just as much as his skin. He had a very strong jaw-line, and big almond shape brown eyes that just stood out like I never seen before. He was clean shaved, kept his hair short on the top and buzzed on the sides. He seemed to carry himself and spoke with a lot of pride and confidences. As for Suki, she had what seem to be greenish-blue eyes that didn't stand out like her husband's they were average as anyone else's I have seen. Her nose was very small along with her mouth; her face with her features reminded me of an oval shape. Her hair was parted on the left side and came down to her shoulders in the going with the shape of her face. She also seemed to be very proper about the way she presented herself along with the way she talked; her voice was very small sounding but strong none the lease. Then there was their daughter, Aya, she appeared to have combination of her parents looks. She had her father big eye except for they weren't brown; they were more of a dark blue. Her nose was the same as her mothers, and lips were in the medium of what her parents had. She seemed to have the same strong jaw-line as her father, but built like her mother. Her hair was a lot longer than her mother's, going past her shoulder guessing it ending around the middle of her back with a parted to the right. But Aya didn't speak with such power and confidences as her parents did. Maybe she was shy, you know meeting new people is always nerve racking in its self. She stood very still trying to stand straight; I guess the proper stances for a young lady. But she kept her eye towards the ground most of the time. Looking over the three of them again, it appeared that they had some Oriental background, but I could tell which ethnics they were.

"So you guys are moving into the old Killian's mansion?" I heard Botan ask, breaking me way from my thought, realizing that I had missed most of the conversation that had been going on around me as I was looking them over.

"The.... Who," Inez asked.

"You know the Killian's? You have to know them if you your moving into this place!"

"Sorry we don't know who the Killian's are or anything about them!" Inez answered back.

"Wow….. Well that's pretty odd!" Suki yelped out.

"What's odd?" I asked without any hesitation thinking I better speak before someone thinks something about me not talking.

"Every person who has ever moved into this house was some sort of relation to the Killian's. There has never been anybody outside of their family to ever live in it." Botan stated in a very nervous tone.

"Oh, I see! No we are no relation to them." Inez laughed trying to breaking the tension that was floating around all of us, "No you see we remodel and restore homes. We received a letter from someone here in the city asking us to come up work on the house. They wanted it fixed the original way for historical purposes. That was our understanding."

"Oh okay! I'm so sorry to confuse you. You must think were nosey neighbors." Botan laughed back at Inez, but the look on his face still showed the confusing of the whole story.

"So you said that this place belong to a family named the Killians'?" I asked quickly, wanting to know more about the family the house belong to.

"Oh yes, well the Killians were a very wealthy and powerful family here in this little town, very well known. This house was built around 1908 by Mr. Killian himself. They say that he hand-made almost everything in that place. Mr. Killian was a very hands-on type of man and enjoyed building the house. The house was designed by his wife when they first got together. It was said that she had dreams about the house, so she decided to put the images on paper and showing them to Mr. Killian. He promised her one day that she would have that exact house, and here it is today!" Suki blurted out before anyone else could tell the story, watching her tell the story she seem to day dream as if she was there at that moment.

"Wow, that's amazing! Do you know what it looks like inside?" Inez replied back in the same daze as Suki was.

"Actually not one of us has ever been in the house. Our home was my parents and my grandparents, and none of them have ever step foot in the house either. The Killians were every private people in a sense." Botan responded to Inez question.

A moment of silent's fell over us, as we all stared up at the house. I was pretty sure we were all wondering the same thing. What the inside looked like. Not even thinking about my next action, I quickly asked, "Would you guys like to be the first in your family to see what inside of the Killians' house looks like?"

With shocking and puzzling looks on their faces, Botan and Suki looked at each other, then back to me.

"Oh well hmmm………. That would be nice, but you guys just got here and we don't want to be any trouble for you, you know with getting settling in." Botan replied back to still with look of surprise on his face.

"It would be no trouble at all; we insist you come in with us!" Inez stated back, walking over to Aya, throwing her arm around her shoulder and started leading the way up to the house that everybody was very curious about.

Waiting for the Dannos to follow Inez and Aya, I watched as the looks on their faces changed from shocking to excited. Botan grabbed Suki's hand brought up to his face and kissed it very lightly and brought it back down holding it. After a moment of hesitation they started walking; stepping on to Botan's other side. I could hear Aya and Inez in front of us talking, well more like Inez talking and Aya answering Inez's questions.

"So what else can you tell me about the Killians?"

"Well the Killians had three children, a son and twin girls. They say after the twins were born that when all sorts of crazy things started happening to them in the house." Botan responded to the question without a second thought.

"What do you mean crazy things?"

"Well... see some say that the twins were as different as night and day. As the girls got older the worse things got. Some say the girls were cursed or at least the one daughter was."

"Oh, so what happened to the Killians?"

"Well from what I can remember from what I've been told over the years, I think it was around the girls' eighteenth birthday. Somehow a fire broke out in I believe the kitchen area, and spread to the den and the hallway of the house. Mrs. Killian died instantly; she was in the kitchen at the time. Mr. Killian and his son tried to fight the fire to get to Mrs. Killian, but both ended up burning to death also. Now for the daughters, the one daughter was able to get out of the house, for she was in the other wing of the house, and heard her father tell her to get out and find help. The other daughter no one knows what happened to her. Her body was never found."

"They never found the girl's body?"

"As far as I know they never did. Some people think she wasn't home at the time of the fire, but some other believes that she was the one who started the fire."

"So after the fire what happened?" I eagerly asked.

"Let's see, oh the one daughter who survived met a young man, he came from a wealthy family sort like the Killians and was like the girl's father was about making stuff. So after a while they got married. As a wedding present to her, the young man decided to fix the house the way it was for her. After a year of hard labor the house was back to its old self."

"Well that's pretty impressive!"

"Yes it is, but that's not the whole story. The day that the young couple moved in, the young woman gave birth to a little girl. That night a lot a strange things started happening again. Just like it did before when Mr. and Mrs. Killian lived in the house. The young man believes that there something wrong with their new addition to the family, where the young woman believe that it wasn't the baby that it was something else. So the story goes that about eighteen years later, another accident happened and the young woman had fell down the flight of steps in the house killing her. Shortly after the young woman's death, her husband continued to stay in the house as his daughter moved out to be on her own. About five years after the daughter had moved out, she had gotten married. As a wedding gift to her, her father gave her the house if she wanted it, knowing that his wife would want her to have it, for her family sake. The young girl and her husband moved in and after about three years of marriage, decided to have a child of their own. After a couple of years of trying them finally gave up thinking that they would never have children, until one day the young girl discovered that she was pregnant. After nine months, the young woman gave birth to none other than a little girl."

"This family seemed to favor girls if you ask me!" laughed Inez as she turned and looked back at us with a half cheesed smile on her face.

"Yeah, but the sad thing is she wasn't the only the last girl born in the Killian's blood line, she was actually the last child ever born." Suki whispered, looking down at the ground not wanting to see the look on her face.

"Why do you say that?" I suddenly asked.

Botan cleared out his throat and stop walking, "After the last girl was born. Everything was perfectly fine. No accidents, no nothing. It was the night of the little girl's first birthday; she was taken in the middle of the night. No one ever found her, no one ever found out who did, or exactly what happened. The young woman became heartbroken and seriously depressed, the young man went crazy himself. Then one night out of the blue the young woman killed herself by slitting her wrist. Her husband had found her lying in the bathroom floor, he tried to stop the blood but it was too late, she died right in his arms. A few minutes after the young lady died; the young man carried her to their room and laid her in the bed. He walked over to his side, and pulled open the drawer to his night stand. Pulled out a small hand gun, laid down on the bed beside his dead wife, and pulled the trigger."

At that moment, I didn't know what to say. Completely stunned by the story I had just heard. I knew the look on my face was probably saying exactly what I was thinking. Cause I just couldn't believe it. Fires, falling down steps, kid-napping, suicide, all these things all wrapped up in one and all happening in this house.

"Charles, are you okay?" Suki asked staring straight at me.

"Yea….. Yes I'm okay. I……… I'm just trying to wrap my mind around this whole story." I mumbled out, not exactly sure what to say at this moment in time.

"Well that's the thing Charles, it's just a story. These stories have been around ever since I was little. Even going back to when my father was a young boy even to when his father was. I could not honestly tell you if the whole story is true or not. I do know that the house was built by the man and that his family lived in it. Other than that I'm not quite sure what else I can tell you." Botan started to explain to me, but even after what he just said, it didn't make the story any easier to deal with or go away.

"Well here we are!" I heard Inez shout the top of her lungs, as Aya and her stood up next the stairs to the porch.

Taking a deep breath and trying to put my game face on. I could tell that it was going to be difficult. I kept on trying to tell myself they were only stories, plus the fact that they been past down for a hundred years, who knows how accurate they were. It was still the fact, that there is a chance that all this did happen in this place. Staring up at the house, still in disbelief of what all this place has gone through over the years. I could even imagine it sent chills down my spine. Feeling something touch my right shoulder, I about jumped out of my skin. Turning back to see that it was Inez looking at me with those big green eyes, with a look of concern on her face.

"Oh you scared me there for just a moment, Inez"

"I'm sorry, Charles. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine sweetheart, I was just looking at this place and just sitting here thinking about all the stuff this place has seen and been through in the last past hundred years."

"Oh, okay! Well if you're ready, we can go in now. We're waiting on you."

Looking back at the porch, I seen the Dannos were standing closer to bottom of the steps looking back me, waiting for me to give the okay to go on up and look around. I looked over at Inez, took a deep breath, and wrapped my arm around her waist and saying to her, "I'm as ready as I'm going to be! Let's go!"

Chapter 3

Mirror, Mirror on the wall

"Wow it's beautiful, well except for the damage and dirty! This is only the first room, and if it looks like this, I can only imagine what the other ones looks like!" I found myself saying lost in a trance of what I had found when the door finally opened.

Stepping forward into the new found place, my eyes drifted off around the room still shocked by all that was surrounding me at that moment. My eyes traveled down the stair case on the right side of the room, curving down to the middle of the room then up to the ceiling cross over to the old looking chandler hanging down. Turning back looking at the frame of the door to see the switch right there next to the door where it should. Flipping the switch I watched as the room filled with a small halo of light. Even with the light on it was still pretty gloomy inside, but I could make out a little more than I could of a minute ago. Looking over on both sides of the wall right where I walked in the room beside the door, were two mirrors displaying my image right back at me.

"Good Lord, I look rough as hell." I said to myself, rubbing my hand over my eyes and over my cheeks, like it was going to make me look any better.

The mirror was framed with the most elegant detail trim around them that I have ever seen. Walking over to the mirror on the right of the wall, and I placed my hand on the frame. It appeared to be made from some type of material similar to marble. I thought it was very odd for a house of this one age to have marble material in it, but of course I really didn't know how old the house was or who all lived in it, so it could have marble decorations in it, right? Still astonished by it absolutely beauty, I traced my hand along the design of the frame. Taking a quick glimpse in the mirror again, I found something a little odd when I looked this time. Trying to figure out what it was I seen, but it was hard to tell due to the blurriness of whatever it was. Figure it was something I may have over looked the first time looking into the mirror, but the sudden feeling I started getting was telling me that I didn't over look it at all.

"What the…..."

Staring just watching it. Standing still in front of the mirror, to see whatever it was; was going to anything or not. The feeling of cold wind started hitting against my face, where it came from I had no clue. Chills went down my back very slowly from the sudden site. Still standing there, looking in the mirror wondering what I should do now. The eager to scream for help came suddenly, I wanted so badly to call out for my father and/or mother, but for some reason I couldn't. The only thing I was able to do at the moment was just stand there and look at whatever this thing was. With my eyes widen and heart beating, I notice whatever it was; was moving around but it didn't seem to notice or see me from what I could tell. Watching it moving around like it was dancing around in a circle, I started wondering why this thing had not seen me yet or had it and it was just waiting for me to make the right move. For a split second I thought it was standing right behind me but it wasn't behind me; it was its reflecting bouncing between the two mirrors. After studying where this blurry figure was in the room, I did my best to see if I could make out what it was. I knew I needed to stand my ground and face whatever it was in the room with me but I wasn't sure on how to find the courage to do so. Trying to think of something but nothing was coming to mind, the only thing I could come up with was closing my eyes as tightly, taking several breaths in and just turn and see what it is. Doing what I thought I should do saying to myself, "Just turn around! Don't be afraid…… It's just your head playing tricks on cause of the long road trip!"

There was a feeling of a sudden tightness in my chest, along with my heart racing, and sweat starting to form on my forehead. I took in one breath then another, knowing it was time to see what it was in the mirror, I quickly took in the last deep breath with everything I had, then turned around. Standing there getting ready to open my eyes to what this thing was, I suddenly could feel was a little warm breezy on my face.

"Holy sshh………." I mumbled to myself hoping whatever it was in the room that seemed to be right in front of me now, didn't hear what I had just said.

With every inch of my body shake uncontrollably, feeling like I was going to be sick at any moment, heart still beating out of my chest along with pulse raising, breathing became heavier with every breath. Squeezing my eyes tighter and tighter, I started to feel light headed, I kept telling myself just to do it, just to open my eyes. Fighting with myself over and over in my head, I then realized if I didn't do it now then I wasn't going to do it at all. Without a second thought about it, I pried my eyes apart to find.

"It's…………"

Puzzled by what I had found when opening my eyes to see what was in front of me.

Nothing!

Wondering if I was going crazy or not, I stood in my spot looking around the room and finding myself walking over towards the middle of the room spinning around looking all over for some type of evidences that there was something in the room with me. Nothing out of the ordinary stood out, as I scanned the walls over and over again. Observing the second floor from where I was standing to see I could see anything, and then bring my eyes down the flight of stairs to the right of me. Turning back towards the front door, and deciding to step back between the mirrors once again. Back in front of the mirror I was looking in earlier, seeing if the thing was still there or not. But nothing, I did everything all over again as I did before. Scanning over what all have appeared in the mirror to me.

Nothing

I didn't know why I wanted to believe I seen something, but for some reason I wanted too. Looking into the mirror and seeing my image bouncing back and forth with the other mirror right behind me. I turned staring into the other mirror and wondering maybe if I looked into it something may happen. Rushing over to the other mirror, I throw up my hands on to the glass, still nothing but a frightened little girl standing before me in the mirror. Staring at myself in the mirror, I watched myself touch my face in the mirror seeing that my once beautiful sun kissed tan had turn to a very faint white, my eyes looked like my mother's when we first got here and she seen the house, except the color of my eyes were solid black now.

"I must be tried…. I look like I haven't slept in days! It had to be the drive here; it took so long to get here."I whispered to myself trying to tell myself it was the drive here that got me seeing things.

Examining myself in the mirror several times, I became so in tune with myself that for the moment I had completely forgot about what I thought I seen just moments ago. Acting as if nothing happened, I started to rub my eyes until my green color reappeared in them. Massage my face and my neck, over to my shoulders and down my arms, I was starting to feel good again, feeling normal again. I could actually see some of my color come back to me. My heartbeat felt normal again, along with my breathing. In my own little world again, I kept focusing on myself trying to get my color completely back and look better than I did about five minutes ago. Bring my face closer to the mirror to look at it better; I thought I had seen something in the corner of the mirror again. Quickly turning and looking behind me without any hesitation this time, there was still nothing there again.

"Okay now, I'm losing it big time!"

Turning back to the mirror, I came to find myself looking into pair of green eyes but not my green eyes. Completely stun by what my eyes were seeing in front of me, I quickly felt my heart drop down into my stomach, my eyes widen with such disbelief, and my mouth drop to the floor as I tried to scream but couldn't. The eyes were so big and bright which was scaring in itself but I found it even more nerve racking when there was nothing else there but those eyes. Scared for my life, I just wanted to run away and never look back, but I couldn't. It was like whatever this was, was holding me in place so I couldn't make a run for it. I closed my eyes and reopened them thinking maybe the eyes would of gone away but instead they were still there staring straight back at me! Finally able to move somewhat, but for some reason I found myself going back towards the middle of the room as slowly as possible. The eyes moved right along with me as I moved along.

Feeling so weak and helpless suddenly once in the middle of the room, I knew I was going to fall down at any moment, but I was trying so hard to hold it together. With its eyes still piercing at me, I started wondering what was it doing, was it as scared as I was or was it just waiting for me to do something so it could attack. Standing there, determined to not to fail, I notice that its eyes were an emerald green color that I had only seen two people with in my life. My mother and me! Even though at the moment it sounded crazy, the eyes were actually pretty beautiful to look at, and for some reason gave off a pleasant vibe. Still feeling strange even though the eyes didn't seem that all scary now, my knees continued to shaking along with sweat dripping down my face. My pulse racing and breath shorten; I knew I couldn't hold on much long. Loosing what little I had left, I could feel myself getting ready to fall down. Dropping to my knees, I felt something catch me in the middle of my fall and helping me down to the ground. Placing me down over on my side, on to the ground. My body felt like putty, I was unable to move, I didn't even know if I was even breathing. The only thing I was able to do was move my eyes around trying to see what it was that helped me, and where those eyes were. But I saw nothing other than the ceiling above me. I could still feel this thing whatever it was around me, as if it was hugging me and no eyes were no longer there staring at me.

"It's okay, just close your eyes! Everything is going to be fine." I heard someone speak.

Too weak to fight with whoever it was or whatever it was, and still unable to move. I just did as I was told and closed my eyes, hoping that when I woke up that I would be in my old bed back home and this was all a really bad dream!

*

Suddenly darkness came over me making it where I was unable to see anything at the time. I felt lost inside. So many things were playing over in my head along with question flying from this whole thing I had just seen. Lying on the cold hard floor, feeling like someone had just hit me over the head with something. I tried to move but my body was motionless. Even my eyes wouldn't open, no matter how hard I tried. I started to hear voices, several of them, but I was unable to make them out clearly or even understand what they were saying. Then the sounds of footsteps were mixed in with the voices, as if they were coming my way. I couldn't tell what direction they were coming from. After hearing the voices and the footsteps, I realized that the thing I felt around me earlier was gone now and found myself wondering where it went.

Questions started running through my head so quickly, I wasn't really sure where to begin, was I dead? If not then where was I? Was this a dream? Did I see what I thought I seen earlier? Did anyone else see it? If no one did, is anyone going to believe me? Such random questions, one after another. Then suddenly, I heard what appeared to be the sound of a door being opened, and my eyes popped opened.

"Gabrielle?"

Still lying on the floor, I suddenly realized the voices I heard were the voices of my parents and their footsteps. I wanted to sit up, I wanted to jump up actually but still wasn't sure if my body was going to cooperate with me if I made any sudden moves.

"Mom, Dad?" I whimpered out, even trying to speak seem to take everything I had, and felt very unpleasant when I did.

"Gabrielle, are you okay?" Charles asked as he came over to my side.

Luckily my body seem like it was going to cooperate this time, or maybe it was the fact that my father had become my support at the moment as he helped me sit up. Feeling him stare right at me waiting for an answer, I wanted to lift my head up to meet his eyes, so I could tell him I was fine and thanks, but I knew it was going to cost me if I did and even if I did look into his eyes, he probably still won't believe me at that moment.

"I'm fine; I think I may have hit my head. I sort of don't remember." I lied, not wanting at that moment try to explain the thing I seen earlier.

"If you like Charles, I can take a look at her. Make sure it's nothing serious." I heard a strange woman's voice say.

Turning my head quickly, without even thinking about how it was probably cause me some pain. I shot a glance over at the front door to see my mother and three strangers standing there looking at me with horrid looks on their faces. I watched as the woman who was one of the strangers I seen, walk quickly over to me. Dad looked over at the woman once she was kneeling down beside us, and looked as if he wasn't sure what to say.

"I'm register nurse at the local doctor's office." she suddenly stated guessing to let him know she knew what she was doing.

Watching him look back at me then over back at her, he shook his head in agreement to her looking at me. I knew I was out of it, but I was a little lost on where these people came from all the sudden.

"Gabrielle, my name is Suki Danno. If you don't mind, I would like to look at your head and make sure you don't have a concussion."

Without saying a word, I shook my head just enough to let her know that she could. I already knew if I didn't agree, Dad was going to say yes for me or would make me go to the hospital. He always knows how to blow things out of portion, when there was no reason too.

I watched as Suki, rubbed her hands together then smiled and said, "My hands might be a little cold at first, so let me apology now."

All I could do was smile at her; figuring it would still hurt if I tried to talk. Sitting there still as she grabbed my left wrist looking for my pulse. Once found she looked at her watch as she started counting my heart beats. Letting go of my hand and placing it back where it was, she asked me to look at her then to follow her finger. I did as she asked even though I felt a little funny doing it. Before I know it she places her hands over my head on the back of my neck, pressing her fingers around and moving them up into my hair.

"Does this hurt?"

I shook my head no to tell her it didn't.

"What about now?"

I shook my head again.

Feeling her massage up my head, was starting to feel good, a little too good it was starting to make me want to fall asleep right there in the position I was in. I could feel my eyes started to close every slowly, as her finger got up next to the crown of my head. She took her left hand and ran it from my forehead to the back right before the crown of my head again, and then did the same thing on the right side. Her fingers were right in the middle of the back of my head; she slowly brought them forward and towards the crown of my head. My eyes popped open from the sudden pain that shot down through my body as I tried so hard not to scream.

"Tender?" she asked, as she seen the expression on my face.

"Yes." I whispered out as I shook my head at the same time.

I started to breath heavily all the sudden. Guessing from that pain I just felt shoot through me. Then I notice that Suki wasn't finished but she didn't start again, she kept looking at me. She must of notice the changing in my breathing along with my body tensing up. Trying so hard to breathe normal before my father could spit out the word hospital, I looked up at Suki and said, "I'm sorry about that, it just caught me off guard."

"It's okay, dear. I just have a little bit left, and if you can bear with me for just a few more seconds."

Without speaking, I shook my head for her to proceed with what she was doing. Her hands worked a little more quickly now. She worked them down the middle of my head, right next to where my hairline ended and my forehead began; then ran her fingers down that line right next to my temples.

"Well she's doesn't have a concussion. She's a little tender up top but that could be due to stress, you know from the move, being in a car for that long…." Suki rambled on, looking over my father giving him her diagnosis, so that he would calm down and start breathing right.

"Oh good, I was kind of skeptical when she flinched right when you were at the top of her head, I was sure we were going have to take her to the hospital."

Suki stood up along with offering her hand to help me get up off the floor. I reached up for it, and felt my father still right next me like I was one all over again taking my first steps, that way when I got ready to fall he would caught me before I could do anything. It wasn't until that moment, when I realized there were still other people in the room with us, just standing there in silent. I looked over at my mother, who seemed to be frozen still with the most awful looking face I had ever since her make, since I've know her. Her eyes were filled with fear. Did she see something or was she upset about her only daughter lying hopeless on the floor? I wasn't sure what it was, but whatever it was it got to her. Looking over Inez's side and seeing an older gentleman and a young girl, who appeared to be around my age, they both looked pleased with the fact that I was moving and off the floor now. They both had smiles on their faces instead of the ones they had when I first seen them.

"What happened?" I heard suddenly exploded out of Charles' mouth without any hesitation.

"I really don't know….. I thought I seen something…. or someone…. I guess I just fainted or passed out, you know from the trip like Mrs. Danno said….. It's been a long day, and I haven't really eaten anything, then without a lot of room to move around in the truck……" I found myself rambling on, not really knowing what to tell him.

"What do you mean you thought you seen something or somebody?"

"Dad calm down, I just said I thought…. It's just been a long day, let's just get unpacked so we can eat, and I'm starving." I begged hoping he would go with my plea.

"Gabrielle…….."

"Dad, as far as I know I may of dreamt it when I passed out."

"Sounds like your mind playing tricks on you." I heard the older gentlemen speak suddenly.

"Yeah I guess so. That's all it is; is mind games going on in here!"

Hoping that my father would just accept what I had just told him and drop everything else for the time being. But I could tell by his look on his face that he didn't buy it and that he was going to make me explain what I seen and I really didn't want too. I didn't want these strangers, to think I was crazy nor had something wrong with me.

"Charles, I think Gabrielle right! Let's just forget about it for right now and get a move on. We haven't eaten in hours, and I know I'm hungry also. We'll deal with it later."

Charles' head along with mine both turned at the same time, looking over at Inez in total disbelief on what she just said. I couldn't believe what I heard, and looking back over at my father seeing his expression neither could he. My mother actually sided with me, she actually agreed with me for once! This never happens, she always side with Charles no matter how crazy it sounded. I felt a sudden rush of emotion come over me, I felt happy. I was amazed, but at the same time, I could feel that little piece of shame in the back of my head of how I acted about everything here lately. But none the less, the happiness I felt seem to make it sort of disappear. Looking back at Charles waiting for his response, he was still in shock of what Inez had said. Suddenly realizing that all eyes were on him, he blurted out, "That's fine with me, Inez. If you think it's best!"

A smile rode up on Inez's face, she seemed to be happy with either the outcome or the shock on both of our faces, but then again it could have been both at the same time, who know with her most of the time.

"Well I have an idea!" the man said out loud again, who I still didn't know name.

"What's that, Botan?" Suki answered back curious to see what brilliant idea he had.

Huh, Botan? That's Japanese I believe, as I stare straight at him looking him over almost like I was examining him through a microscope. He seemed to have all the features of a Japanese man. But the glancing over at Suki, she didn't appear to have as many as features, so I was assuming she was part Japanese, and for the girl who no one so far has fail to introduce me to, she looked a lot like her father with his features but the coloring of her mother. I was kind of curious if I was right about my assumptions. I guess I would find out sooner or later who knew.

"How about this; Charles, Inez, and Gabrielle, if you would like, why don't you come down to our house and have dinner with us? Then after dinner all of us will come back up here and we will help you unload everything, so you can get in quicker." Botan explained from his earlier comment.

"That sounds great; I think it would be a good idea." Inez quickly replied before anyone could reject the offer.

I was completely caught off guard by my mother all the sudden enthusiasm from what Botan said. Standing there making sure I had my balance, so Suki and my father could let go of me anytime. Hardly thinking about what I was doing and wondering was going on with my mother. Charles suddenly let go of me and leaving me standing there with Suki, as he walked over to Inez with the same look I knew was on my face. He stared at my mom for a second and let out with his breath, "If that's what you want to do then it's fine by me."

"Do you think you can walk by yourself, Gabrielle or would you like me to help you dear?" Suki all the sudden asked, throwing me off again by everything, for a moment I totally forgot about her being there with me and helping me as I watch my parents.

"Think I should try for myself, just kind of stay close just in case you know." I whispered to her not wanting everyone to hear, so they wouldn't watch as I was trying to walk just in case I decide to go face first to the ground again.

Suki laughed with a little tiny smile, "Okay dear, whenever you're ready!"

I couldn't help but laugh with her and smile back. There was just something about Suki that made me feel completely comfortable around her even though I just met her in the weirdest situation. Looking back over at the front door, where pretty much everyone was standing except for Suki and I; I was debating if I was going to be able to do it or not. I stared for second at the door and then to the ground examining it making sure I had nothing in my way, then back at the door. Slowly taking the deep breath I could possible, holding it for a second and then quickly release it as I took my front step forward. Placing my right leg in front of me felt kind of weird, it sort of felt like it did early when I went to step out of the Tahoe but without the pins and needles reaction. Then bringing my left leg up with the right one, it felt the same way too. I took a couple of smaller steps. I could feel a little tickle sensation in my legs, but it disappeared within seconds of taking the baby steps. Suki's hand was on the small of my back following me always being prepared to catch me if something was to go wrong all the sudden. Feeling completely in control of myself again, I turned and looked at Suki with the big smile, "Thank you so much, but I think I'm good now!"

Suki nodded her head at me then moved her hand from my back, stepping over to the side and looking over towards her family smiling pleasantly as if she was telling them everything was okay. After standing there for a second, looking at everyone and noticing they were all staring right back me, as if they were waiting for me to do something, like fall down I suppose. I couldn't help but feel like I needed to end the silences at once, "So what now?"

"Oh, Inez we need to get the cooler out of the truck and check the refrigerator here. I'll go get the cooler if you want to check on that." I heard my father yelp out, as he smacked himself in the forehead.

"That's fine Charles. Botan, Suki would you like to see the kitchen you were telling us about? Maybe the girls could go on down to your house, that way Gabrielle could sit down and relax for a bit, maybe get some fluids in her system. That should give us time to make sure the fridge is working or if it needs to be turned on we can do that now." Inez giggled out, trying so hard not to laugh any harder at Charles for his goofiness.

"That sounds like a plan. I'll help Charles with the cooler real quick." Botan quickly replied, as he turned and followed Charles out the front door by anyone could say anything else.

Inez walked over to Suki and grabbed her by the arm and led her down the hall. They were giggling like two school girls over everything they had seen in the house. I was kind of happy that the Danno's and my parents seemed to hit it off suddenly. Hopefully that would be a good sign for me at least. Without thinking about anything else, I walked over to the girl who I still had no idea what to call her, and reached out my hand, "I'm Gabrielle by the way. Sorry about all of this and that no one actually introduces us before leaving."

"Oh that's fine! I'm Aya."

Chapter 4

The Japanese's Albino

She didn't seem to hesitate at all about shaking my hand. She shook it with a big smile on her face and her dark blue eyes matching. Without a second thought, I waved my hand over by the door, "After you!"

Aya laughed, leading the way out the door. I followed right behind her praying that I wouldn't fall on her that my legs were over their tantrum as I walked. Botan and Charles were standing on the side of the porch watching us make our way out the door.

"You girls be careful on your way down there!" Charles spoke out in his protective tone.

"We will Dad, don't worry." I rolled my eyes, wishing sometimes he wasn't so protective of me, especially in front of people he always knew how to take it over board.

Aya didn't seem to hesitate making her getaway off the porch before her father could say anything to her. I retreated after her as quickly as possible trying to make a run for it before Charles decided to say anything else. Basically jump off the last step and landing on the right beside Aya. I felt myself going forward, but was able to catch myself and quickly fix my balance before anyone could notice (well at least I hoped).

"So are you feeling alright?" I heard her ask, I guess she must have seen my slip up.

"Yeah, I feel fine! I'm not sure why I fainted or passed out…. Whatever you want to call it," I was really saying to myself I thought as I started walking down the driveway, but then realized I was saying out loud just as well.

"Who knows? Maybe it's just from the trip, I mean you were on the road for how long?"

"For about ten hours, maybe a little longer give or take for the gas stops and bathroom breaks." I tried to giggle but the thought of the trip really didn't seem to be funny at all.

"Wow that was a long trip! Where did you move here from?"

"Oh, well we were living in right on the out skirts of New Orleans."

"Really..... That must have been fun? I've always wonder what that place would be like!"

"Why's that?"

"I've been in this little town all my life pretty much only been to a few other places."

"So you're not from Japan?" I blurted out not thinking anything about what I was saying

Aya's eyes widen right along with her mouth, and confusion written all over her face. I hope that I didn't upset her by assuming she was Japanese. But the features she had pointed more towards Japanese than any other Asian Nationalities such as Chinese and/or Korean. I stared at her for a moment hoping that she would see that I didn't mean to be rude or anything. Turning looking down at the ground as we walked thinking I already screwed up with the first person I just met here in this new place. What kind of person was I? I was so stupid for just assuming these things.

"How did you know I was Japanese?" she suddenly asked in a low soft voice not sounding angry at all about what I just asked.

I really didn't know how to explain it, "Well it's kind of hard to explain. See I'm very interested in the Japanese's culture. Also with all the moving around I actually knew a few people who were Japanese and other ethnics, or I did know a lot of people of different ethnics. So I got used to being able to tell the difference in people. For example, your father has the strong jaw line, and the shape of his eyes, also he still has a little bit of an accent to him, if that makes any sense to you at all."

She was quite for a moment as we got to the bottom of the driveway, and stopped dead in her tracks, looked over at me, "That's awesome. Most people think we're Chinese sometimes Korean. I can't believe you…… can see so clearly!"

The dreadful feeling I was feeling at the moment, had subsided. I could feel my lips curl up into a smile, "Oh, well I'm glad you understood what I meant; because I swear there for a minute I didn't even know if I understood what I was saying."

"Yeah, I understood what you were saying! Well I guess we better hurry and get down to the house, before the parental unit starts wondering why were just standing here." she laughed.

"Yeah, I guess your right!"

Laughing not really knowing what we were laughing at was pretty nice. We started walking down the straight stretch towards her home on the other side of the road. Placing my hand over my eyes to block out the sun light that was in my direction, so I would be able to make out everything in front of me. I was able to catch a glance of the second story of Aya's home. The roof of the house was light black color, probably from age and the weather is has been through. The house appeared to a made of a brick foundation, giving the home a reddish color on the outside of it. I couldn't tell anything else about the house other than I seen what appeared to be two or three windows of the second story, with shutters the same color as the roof. At first before I seen the house, I thought we were in for a long walk on the little country road, but from the looks of it probably no more than a ten to fifteen minute walk, depending on fast you were walking, which in our case wasn't going to get us to the finish line anytime soon.

"So tell me about this place, or your family, or whatever you like?" I asked realizing that neither of us was talking due to me looking around and review what was around us.

I don't even think she even thought about what she was going to say, she just started talking. Without missing a beat with no silences I did everything I could to pay attention to what all she said; I didn't want to miss any of it. Aya first started talking about her family confirming that she was Japanese but only part. Her father Botan was fully Japanese, but her mother, Suki, as I thought, was only part Japanese. Suki's father was Japanese, and her mother was American, she went on to say before I could even ask. She went on to talk about her grandparents, how her father's parents used to live right where they were, and gave Botan and Suki the house when they were married and moved back to Japan to live out the rest of their lives. Her mother parents lived down toward the bottom of Tennessee near Memphis in a small little town. Then she went on talking about the school, her friends, and pretty much anything else that came to mind. I didn't mind at all, I was actually pretty interested in all she had to say.

"Oh the school it's just school, probably no different than any of the ones you been too." Aya started to answer, as we got closer to her driveway, "There's a few places to hang out, but honestly I pretty much hang out at home, everyone seems to like being at my house for some reason, and enjoy being around my parents!"

"Well it sounds like I'll be there too! I can't stand to be around my parents let alone have anyone else around them."

She looked over at me with disappointment in her eyes, "Oh, I'm sorry to hear you don't get along with parents."

"Oh don't be, it's not really that I don't get along with them, it's just……….. Well I love my dad to death until he's starts taking the protection thing overboard, and my mom; well let's just say that her and me, we don't see eye to eye on things."

"Oh, I see! Well anyways, let's talk about something else…………"

I was about to starting asking her some other questions that came to mind, but then I realized that we were in her driveway in no time. Where did the time go? Maybe that was the reason why Aya kept talking trying to the make the walk goes quickly.

"Wow nice!" is all I could say when I seen what was in the driveway.

Aya laughed and nudge me with her elbow, "Yeah that's how most people act when they look in our driveway."

Right there in front of us, were four of the most beautiful vehicles I had ever seen in someone's driveway. The closes one to us on the right hand side of the driveway was a two door Honda Civic, I wasn't sure of its year but I knew it was still pretty new from the looks of it. It appeared to have a little work done to it also compare to most of the ones I have seen or been around. It appeared to lower with its rims being a grayish-black color instead of silver, the paint job looked to be pretty new it's self. The color was a deep gray color almost matching the rims color. The back lights were clear with a spoiler on the trunk. I wasn't too sure what the front looked like but I knew without a doubt it was probably just as amazing as the back half was. Then I glanced over to the side of the driveway to see the next vehicle. Parked right beside the Civic was a burnt orange color Hummer. There didn't appear to be any special accessories on it like the Civic had from what I could tell, it was just very clean and shiny looking as new as the Civic did. Then my eyes went up to the front of the Civic and seen the silver GMC Yukon, it looked as normal as the Hummer did from what I could also see from it where I stood. Then my eyes went over to the last car, the one right in front of the Hummer. My mouth dropped, it was so gorgeous. I never had been so close to one in my life. I had always thought of these cars of been more for you mafia, celebrity types for some odd reason. I just knew they were very expensive cars, and were absolutely beautiful. I couldn't restraint myself anymore, I had to go over and look at it from a closer view. Standing next to it, I so badly want to run my hand down it slick black body. It was like it was taunting me, telling me to touch it. I lifted my hand up reaching for it, and then I realized I better not. It was too clean, spotless. I didn't want to mess it up. I heard a snickering from behind me; I spun around to Aya watching me over react to one thing that didn't seem to phase her, "Are you going to make it Gabrielle?"

I just looked at her, not sure what to say and sort of embarrassed by the way I just acted over a car. She giggled again, and walked over to my side placing her hand on the car.

"It's okay if you touch it, Dad won't kill you."

"This is your dad's?"

"Yeah the Jag belongs to Dad, the Yukon is Mom, the Hummer is Kei, and …."

"Kei," I asked confused at the moment by the sudden name.

"My brother, actually his name is Keitaro, but he prefers being called Kei."

"Your brother, you didn't say anything about having a brother!"

"Well there is a good reason why to, I'll let you see for yourself!" she giggled again, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the front of the house onto the porch, "Oh and can you do me a favor also?"

I looked at her wondering what she wanted from me, "Yeah, what is it?"

"Breathe!"

"Huh?"

Aya laughed again, as we made our way up to the front door. Watching as she opened the door wondering what she meant by breathe, I watched as she step over to the side, gesturing for me to go first. I took a breath and walked in the house like she wanted. Still a little confused by the conversation we just had a second ago made me started asking questions in my head. Was there something wrong with her brother? Was she ashamed of him or what? Was she telling me to breathe so I wouldn't make any strange faces at him when I seen him? What did she mean? I turned around looking back at her as she walked in the door and closing it behind her. She looked up at me with a smile, and guessing from the look on my face that she seen, she smile went wider.

"Aya………….." I tried so hard to ask her; wanting to know why she wanted me to breath for.

But before I could work up the courage to say what I wanted, I heard some laughter coming from the other room. Keeping my eyes on Aya, wondering what was going on and also what was so funny at the moment. Aya walked past me, heading towards the opening on the left side of the wall. I started to follow, looking all around me at the moment trying to take everything in. The area I was in appeared to be a room at one point from the looks of it and turned into a rather large hallway. The walls were white with a reddish wooden paneling wrapped about bottom of the wall; the hard wood floor was a dark rich brown color with a little hint of red in the coloring also. In the middle of the room was a table with a vase of assorted flowers in the dead center just like the table was in the room. Right where the table was, you could draw a line from the room on the left of the table to the room on the right and it would have gone down the middle of the table. Behind the table was a small hallway that appeared to reach the back of the house to the outside and on the left hand side of it was a set of stairs. I turned around in a spinning motion looking at all the stuff on the walls. All the paintings and pictures had something to do with Aya's Japanese's culture.

Out of the corner of my eye, I seen Aya stand in the entrance of the room just staring at me, probably thinking I was losing it again like I did moments ago outside with the Jaguar. I glanced over at her and smiled, letting her know that I was okay with a couple of steps forward heading her way.

"This is amazing! I have never seen so many paintings and pictures of the Japanese's culture from this perceptive, well except for a museum and they don't even have this much, with all this detail." I started rambling on, looking at each picture closely as I walked by it.

Aya didn't say a thing; she just nodded her head as she understood what I was saying. I was almost to the entrance where she was standing; I could hear voices coming from the room then realized it was where the laughter came from earlier. Looking at Aya, as she watched me, with the same look she gave me earlier when she asked me to do her the favor and to breathe. Which at the moment I still had no idea why, but for her peace of mind, I stopped took a big deep breath in and slowly let it out. She smiled as if she was pleased with me for doing as she asked, and turned to the room with the voices.

"Hey everyone, we have someone new here!" Aya yelled out, as if she was making sure she was heard over the big sounds laughter again.

Nervousness followed through my body like it would the first day of school the closer I came to the room within in inches of walking around the corner. Feeling the nervousness in the pit of my stomach as it crawled slowly through the rest of my body. The room was starting slowly to show, with each small step I took; I tried so hard to remember to breathe normal and to keep either a straight face or a smile on it. Making it up behind Aya, it appeared that we were entering the living room from what I was able to see at the moment. Suddenly, not really paying any attention to what she was going to do next, Aya stepped over to the side so that I was in plain view for everyone to see, as they were for me. Feeling sick to my stomach at the moment from the nervous tense going throughout my body, I tried my best to keep a smile on my face, as I glanced around the room at everyone and everything in it, but then Aya seemed to make it even more difficult for me when she decided to let everyone know who I was, "Everyone this is Gabrielle. She just moved here today from New Orleans, she's the one going to be living in the old Killian house."

The laughing stopped bringing the room to an awkward silence to the point that you could hear a pin drop onto the floor with no problem. Everyone was turned looking at me, I could feel the blood rushing to my face, and the nervousness going hay wired inside me. I tried to take several breaths slow so no one would notice but they were all just staring, like they were waiting for me to burst into flames or something. Then suddenly I heard footsteps coming from behind me. Wanting to turn and see who it was coming from behind but I was frozen in place from all the eyes that were on me. I saw something out of the corner of my eye, which made my head finally turn in the direction of the thing I seen. It was Aya that I had seen, turning around then looking back at me with a rather large smile when she seen that I was looking at her with confusion on my face. She turned her head again to the direction the footsteps were coming from and I started to wonder who it was or what she was going to do, but within no time she was going to answer my questions.

"Kei, you're just in time! We have a new visitor!"

Kei, the name seemed to hit me rather hard for some odd reason when Aya said it. Maybe it was the fact that it was time to face the music and see what the big deal was about him.

"Oh really, Awesome!" was all that came out of his mouth in a more than excited tone.

His footsteps were getting closer, along with my heart beating with each step. Even though I knew it wasn't, it seemed like time was stuck in slow mode, I wanted so badly to turn around and see him to get it over with but for some reason I couldn't? I knew it was wrong to think it but I couldn't help but to wonder if there was something was wrong with him, to see why Aya made the comment she did about seeing him. But then I figure it was probably best if I didn't push it, maybe it was more than I can handle. Finally the footsteps stop, all I could hear out of everyone and everything around me was his breathing. I could feel coldness against my skin as if there was a small breeze coming right by me bringing the most interesting smell to my nose that sent chills down my spine. It seemed sort of weird to feel this way about a smell like this, a smell so…. so sweet in a sense but not. I tried so hard to pay attention to what all was going on around me but the smell was driving me crazy, I just wanted to find it and just smell it non-stop. Shaking my head and telling me to get a hold of myself since everyone else was still staring and completely lost in a trance due to my presence for some odd reason.

"Gabrielle, I would like for you to meet my brother, Keitaro." Aya tried not to giggle out, but she didn't succeed very well at it.

I glanced over at her giving her the look telling her I wasn't ready, but it didn't seem to faze her. She stared at me with her dark eyes, just waiting to see my reaction to her brother as I prepared myself. Several deep breaths, closed my eyes, and prepared for the worse. I spun quickly on my toes, to see the person behind me, the one who Aya called Kei. I opened my eyes to my surprise.

_OH MY GOD………_

All I could do was stand there and stare. I couldn't even control the expression on my face. I knew my mouth was hanging opening plain as day, and my eye were so bugged out. I had to look like a freak but I couldn't get over what I was staring at. I have never in my life seen someone who looked the way that he did or caught my eye like he did. The funny thing was he seemed to be just as surprised as I was. He just stared straight at me. His dark blue eyes just like his sister's seemed to be lost in the emerald green of mine. We stood there for a second looking at each other, before we heard Aya clear her throat trying to get our attentions. Both of our head looked over glance over at her, by the look on her face she was extremely pleased from what happened for some reason. Then I notice her gesturing at me to breathe. I took her advice before I could look back at her brother. Slowly turning along with a small breath as I gradually turned around. I notice that he was trying to regain himself also. He looked over at his sister again then at all the other people in room with us, who were still sitting there quietly; I wondering if they were still staring at me or the both of us now. Keitaro brought his eyes back to meet mine, and smiled. He's smile took my breath away instantly. I think he seen how I reacted and it look as he giggled to himself.

"Hi, I'm Keitaro, or you can call me Kei." He spoke as he brought his hand up.

With no thinking to it, I placed my hand in his and shook it as I did earlier with Aya; I tried to speak back without all the breaking in my voice, "Hello Keitaro. I'm Gabrielle; it's a pleasure to meet you."

We shook a little longer than we should of, but I didn't mind. I just kept my eyes on his, trying my best to remind myself to breathe every few seconds, so I wouldn't embarrassed myself by passing out. We finally let go of our hand shake, and I could feel someone hand on my shoulder. I didn't even have to look to know that it was Aya right there beside us, with a grin from ear to ear. I heard Aya speak, but I didn't pay any attention to what she was saying. I couldn't all I wanted to do was stare at Keitaro, and nowhere else. It felt weird to have this type of control of some sort making me do this. I couldn't tell if it was really me doing it or not. I couldn't help myself, I started to look over his face, studying it in a way I guess you could say. I had to fight with my eyes, to look away from his eyes. They were just so beautiful, that just all I wanted to look at deep down but I was able to focused and look at the whole entire picture this time.

His face was just as gorgeous as his eyes. The oval shape of his face was shape of his sister and mother, but full like his fathers. He appeared to favor more of his father features but he had the coloring of his mother, the same as Aya did. I followed his stronger jaw line down to his chin with my eyes, and made my way up to his lips. It was hard to tell if his lips were full like his father's or small like his mother's, due him pulling them back as if he was trying to keep a secret from someone but I could see the casual little mole on the right side of his bottom lip, right on the line. For some reason I thought that was more beautiful than anything else so far, even his eyes. I went on up his face; his nose was even portion with his face, with perfect cheekbones on each side of his face. He's forehead was smooth and radiated all the way up to his hair line. He's hair was a shade lighter than his father's but he wore it long on the top and short in back from what I could tell from the angle I was in. It almost looked like it was cut to be in a bowl cut, that you see most little boys wearing when their young, but his was nowhere near bowl cut. It was like he took a towel to it like he was drying it and left it the way it came out of the towel. He was dress rather prepping but in a casual way. With faded blue jeans on with a white button down shirt half way button with a white tank top on underneath hugging his body just enough for me to see the basic outline of his chest which made it hard for me breathe.

The sound of the door bell broke both of our contraction suddenly. I could hear people talking now; I guess they finally got over whatever it was that had them staring earlier. Glancing over at Aya, who was standing to the side of Keitaro and me with a big smile on her face along with matching eyes. No one seemed budge for the door, which brought on the bell being rung again, Aya smile disappeared when she snapped her head over to her brother and hissed, "You might as well go and get it, you know who it is Kei."

At first I don't think Keitaro heard Aya, he seemed to be lost in a trance like everyone else were a few moments ago. Aya didn't hesitate, "Keitaro the door!"

Keitaro looked over at Aya then back at me, "Oh sorry I didn't hear the bell. I'll be right back!" he replied as he glanced back over me as if he was saying for my sake.

Keitaro took a couple of steps backwards then turn heading for the door. I felt a tugging on my arm, and realized that Aya was trying to get my attention again. I looked over at her, she seemed to be sad all the sudden. I didn't understand what the look met, but it did hurt me seeing her this way for some reason. Without any more distractions, I turned around back at everyone that Aya introduced me to first. They were all just talking among their selves. I reached down to the first guy that was closes to me, "I'm sorry about that. I'm Gabrielle."

The boy smiled back, "Hey, I'm Chaz!"

Smiling back at Chaz and offered my hand not sure if he would take it or not. I went around the room to each and everyone the same way apology for how I was and reintroduce myself to them. These were Aya's friends, and I didn't want to be rude or upset Aya in way. After going around the room, I finally realized that there quite a few people in the room. The appeared to be six guys counting Keitaro, and five girls counting Aya and me. Then I realized that Keitaro hadn't come back from answering the door yet. I started to wonder, but then figure it was none of my business. Making my way back to Aya over by the entrance I looked out the bay window on my left side and seen there was another car in the driveway, but was unable to make out what it was exactly. Right in front the window about a foot away was one the first black couch, where Chaz sat next to Rainy and Lee. On the far back wall in front of me was a fireplace and another black couch about a foot away from it, where Keira and Lula then on the right wall was a huge flat screen television; on both side of the TV, were pictures, and under them were two medium size book shelves that held several DVDs. Under the TV was an entrainment stand which held all sorts of electronics and right in front of it on the floor sat Hunter, Landon, and Kentra who insisted I call him Ken. My eyes followed the one wall over to the next one to the next. Standing there for a moment looking around the room, it pretty much looked the same as hallway; I was just stood there and took it all in at the moment. I wasn't really paying any attention to what everyone was talking about; I looked around at everyone and watched as they talked. Looking over at Aya once I was done looking around room, but she seemed to be occupied by something else beside the group and/or me. She was turn slightly enough where she could look out into the hallway but was still able to see everything going on in the room. She kept glancing towards the hallway several times as if she was waiting for something or someone.

"Aya, are you okay?"

She looked over at me, she seemed to be okay. Her facial expression was nothing like they were earlier.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just wondering how much trouble he's in!"

"Trouble... Who.... Keitaro...."

"Yeah, she's here and if he doesn't jump when he suppose……….."

Aya stop talking as soon as the front door opened and closed, then sound of the footsteps started making their way towards us but they sounded a little bit off. We both turned, looking the same way watching and waiting, and shortly later we watched Keitaro make his way around the corner of the doorway. He looked at Aya and then over at me, and dropped his head to the ground like dog with his tail between his legs when it's was in trouble. He stopped right inside the room; he leaned against the door frame lifting his head up but looked out the window not looking at a single person in the room. I could hear the clicking of what sound to be high heels coming from behind Keitaro then I seen something white bouncing behind Keitaro, from one side to the other, and then there it was in plain view. At the side Keitaro now, stood a small oriental girl. Standing there looking like something a artist would of carved out of stone. The girl was no bigger than Aya or me, she appeared to be shorter but due the heels I wasn't sure. Her skin was pretty pale compared to everyone in the room, her eyes were small and tight they seemed to be dark but not normal eye color more like a grayish color, and her hair was about as long as Aya's but was white as snow. I was puzzled by her look. She was beautiful, but I never seen a Japanese's albino.

Looking at her a little longer; she was dressed like she just stepped out of magazine photo shoot. She was dressed every similar to Keitaro. With her button down white shirt fully buttoned except for the every top one with quarter length sleeves and faded wash colored jeans coming over the little black heels you could barely see. Feeling a sudden jerkiness of my arm, I realized that Aya had grabbed my arm to pull me forward with her. I wasn't sure at first what was going on, I just followed her lead not thinking or asking anything, even thought something told me to keep my eyes on the girl. Just looking at her I felt weird something wasn't right with all of this, and then I realized she was looking right back at me. Keitaro glanced over when he seen Aya move, then glanced over to the girl beside him. He looked so imitated by this little girl; I couldn't wrap my mind around it. It was right there that my weird feeling turn into anger all the sudden. Something about the Keitaro and her bothered me for some reason. Aya took another step but this time she let go of my arm. She was standing in between the three of us. The girl moved her eyes away from me and looked at Aya and smiled a casual little smile. I couldn't tell if Aya smiled back or not, but I had a feeling that more than likely she wasn't; then suddenly I heard Aya say, "Michiko."

The girl nodded at Aya but didn't respond she just glared back at me.

"Michiko, this Gabrielle, She just moved in down the road." Aya spoke again.

For some reason what Aya said caught Michiko's attention, she looked over at Aya and back at me once again, her eyes were furious. I didn't want to be rude, I tried to offer her my hand to shake, but I couldn't bring myself to doing it. All I could do was staring at her. We glared at each other for few more seconds, and Keitaro's voice broke in, "Well if you guys are ready, then we should get going!"

Without any hesitation everyone in the room seemed to jump at what Keitaro had said except for Aya and I. Michiko suddenly turned and looked at Keitaro and in a huff, "Let's go."

Michiko grabbed his arm to make him follow her, but Keitaro didn't budge. Keitaro looked over at Aya, "Tell Mom and Dad I'll be back in about an hour or so, okay!"

"Yeah, Yeah I'll tell them." Aya hissed out.

Michiko tugged on Keitaro's arm again; he glanced over at her, turned to follow her. As soon as I knew she was on out of sight, I found myself watching as Keitaro went along with her. He appeared as if he didn't want to go but went along with what she wanted to keep her happy. Watching him walk away, I didn't except him to look back my way and smile. For a moment I thought he was looking over at Aya, smiling at her but for some reason it didn't seem right. I looked over at Aya, who wasn't even standing beside me anymore. I found myself spinning in a circle looking for her, and to find her standing in the middle of the living room just staring out the window. I wasn't sure if I should say anything, or not. Everything was just so weird at the moment; I wasn't sure what was really going on. The front door open and closed suddenly, then I started hearing two voices outside the door arguing. Then I realized it was Keitaro and Michiko going at it.

_What had happen? Why were they fighting for? _

With all these questions popping up in my head wondering what was going on or if I missed something, I turned and watched out the window as the two of them argued on the way down the driveway. Keitaro looked as he was trying to get away from Michiko, but she stayed right on him. They reached the Hummer, and seen what looked as Keitaro pointing down towards her car. It was pretty clear that she wasn't going to move or do as he said because she was right up in his face. Even though I couldn't hear them now, I could see their mouths going. Suddenly, Keitaro looked as if he was going to throw in the towel and he did. He threw down his arms, and lowered his head. Michiko also seemed to calm down. She kept her stance right in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest. Keitaro finally looked up at her, and it appeared he was apologizing to her. He pulled her to him, and wrapped his arms around her. I watched as she wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his right shoulder, with her face towards the road. At first I didn't think anything of it. I was glad that they made up. I couldn't help but feel responsible for what just happened for some reason, deep down I did even though I have no clue what I would have to do with their fight and also with the fact that something about the girl bothered me but I couldn't take my eyes off what I was seeing. Then I realized why I couldn't, Keitaro was staring straight at me through the window.

Chapter 5

Eaves Dropping

Feeling completely lost and totally blown away, when I thought about what I thought I seen. Maybe it's just me; maybe I just think he's looking at me all the time when really he's not. I was determine to convince myself that it was me, that I just wanted him to look at me the way he looked Michiko. What was I even thinking? Turning and looking over at Aya telling myself not to look out the window anymore and giving myself false hope. Seeing that she was staring out the window seeing everything that I had seen also, the look on her face was enough to tell me there she wasn't very keen to Michiko. Wanting to look back out at Keitaro one more time before he left, I knew I needed to go on and make my escape before it was too late.

"Aya…. Umm…. where's your bathroom?"

At first it appeared that she didn't hear me, she kept watching out the window. I went to speak again, but before I could even open my mouth, she replied, "Upstairs, first door on your left."

She never took her eyes away from the window the whole time even answering me; she was still looking out at Keitaro and Michiko. Making my way out of the room for the stairs, I kept looking back at Aya a couple of times, hoping she was going to be okay from everything that had gone on. Taking my time up the steps not too sure what to think about things. All I knew was I wanted to see Keitaro again for some odd reason even though I felt guilty for thinking it, I couldn't help it; it was how I felt. Thinking it all over again in my head, I started feeling all sorts of different feelings all at once. I felt awful for Keitaro and Michiko fighting, embarrassed thinking that he was even looking my way, angry and confused about the way Michiko had looked at me, but then again she would have all rights to if she saw things the way I thought they were, and also felt furious when I thought about Michiko. Even the sound of her name in my head made my blood boil.

Getting close to the top of the steps, I seen the door on the left like Aya said. Taking my time getting over to the door, hoping maybe some cold water on the face would help out and make me think straight again for once. A yellowish beam a light filled the room almost blinding me at first when I flipped the switch on; with the door about half way closed I heard the front door open. Freezing in place at first wondering who it was, then figure it was our parents coming in, they should have been here by now. I went on finishing closing the door completely when I heard a voice speak,

"Aya," I heard him call out.

"I'm in the living room!"

"Hey... Where's Gabrielle?"

"She went up stairs to the bathroom."

The sound of my name coming out of his voice sent a jolt through me, it sounded so nice when he said it.

"Oh okay…. Hey can you do me a favor?"

"Depends...."

"Oh, come Aya don't be like that. Trust me, you're going to like what I'm going to ask you to do!"

I could pictures Aya's face at the moment, wide eyed and bright wanting to know what it was that Keitaro wanted her to do.

"I need you to have Mom call me as soon as she gets here."

"Why?"

"I'll explain later! Will you please?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll have Mom call."

"Thank you, Aya…. I owe you!"

"If you say so.... Now go before she comes inside and starts more….."

Before I could hear Aya finish what she was saying, I quickly closed the door thinking that I better hurry and get back down there before she starts to wonder what I'm doing up here all this time. Walking over to the large mirror above the sink seeing my own expression at the moment throw me off, with everything that had gone on so far since I arrived in this town, how was it possible for a smile to be on my face, looking like I was on cloud nine.

"What is wrong with me?" I asked myself in the mirror.

Covering my face with my hands and running them through my hair, looking back in the mirror seeing the same expression again. Not sure why I felt so in rage over what I've seen. Throwing my hands down the counter and quickly reaching for the cold water knob; turning it all the way on wanting it to get as cold as possible. Placing my hands in the water, the coldness shot through my hands up my arm and down my chest. Bending down whiling filling my hand with the icy water, I looked up in the mirror one more time to see that nothing had changed, one deep breath and a hand full of water on my face.

"Wow that is….. So….. Cold...."

Placing my hands back under the water, and repeating the same motion several times until the coldness of the water didn't bother me anymore from the sting sensation my skin was doing from the coldness. My eyes widen from the coldness along with my cheeks flinching as the water dripped off the skin. Reaching over on the counter searching for towel thinking I seen one to my right when I first walked in. Patting the counter down until there was a hand full of terry cloth material in my hand. Bring it up to my face and patting it dry I stared straight ahead of me into the mirror only to see the same expression on my face as I did the first time I looked in the mirror. I felt the rage again inside from the site, so mad at myself; I found myself wanting to hit my reflection in the mirror, but the thought was quickly changed as I thought about how I would explain why there was a broken mirror suddenly. I almost consider slapping myself, but I didn't want to explain the mark on my face, and have rumors started. Still angry at myself and not finding a way to make the look on my face go away, I fold the towel placing it back where I thought I found it and headed for the door. I had no idea if Keitaro was still downstairs or not, but it didn't matter I had to go back down there sooner or later whether either way. Placing my hand on the door knob and pulling the door open to find nothing but silences in the air of the house. Back down stairs towards the living room, I was suddenly confused when I come to find the room empty.

"Aya," I called out wondering where she was at the moment.

"In the kitchen, come to the end of the hallway then make a right!"

Tip toeing my way over to the table in the middle of the hallway, I looked around trying to figure out how to get back down the hallway; the direction that Aya had just told me to go. Staring back into the hallway towards the back of the house, there wasn't much light expected for the light coming from the glass door leading to the back of the house. I slowly made my way down the hall just looking at everything that I walked past until I came to an opening on the right side of the hall.

"Hey you found it!" I heard Aya saying while she was in the refrigerator when I made my way through the door way.

I didn't answer back, as I made my way over to the island in the middle of the kitchen, pulling out one of the bar stools and taking a seat whiling looking around the room until Aya was out of the refrigerator. Within seconds, Aya headed popped out of the big steel refrigerator with bottle water in her hands, tossing it to me, "Drink up!"

"Thanks!" I spit out as shot my hands out quickly to catch the bottle.

Still feeling in daze over everything, I started wondering if I should offer to help but then again I didn't know where anything was in the kitchen and had no clue on what Aya was doing in the first place. I found myself starting to questions things again even though I did try to fight it. Asking myself if by chance was it only me noticing all the weirdness that has been going on since I got here. First the strange feeling in the truck to the see something in the house and passing out to the whole Keitaro and Michiko thing. I was just really hoping I that I wasn't but I already knew it was. I was almost to the point to believe this was all a really bad dream and was more than willing to wake up at any moment. Trying to get my mind off all that and on something else, I couldn't help to glance over at Aya, who was still in the refrigerator, searching for something. Finally she popped her head out again and asked, "So what sounds good?"

"You know you don't have to go through any trouble making anything big or fancy." I tried to conceive her.

"Oh it's no trouble at all. I enjoy cooking, plus my mother would just die if served sandwiches to you!" she laughed, still looking in the refrigerator, "Oh how about Cajun chicken pasta?"

A little shocked at first when she made her suggestion, I didn't know why but I was. Screwing the cap off the bottle of water, I took a quick drink before I answered her. The cold water felt so good going down my throat. I turned the bottle up again, and before I knew it the bottle was empty. Sitting the bottle back down, and placing the lid back on it. Aya looked around the refrigerator door over at me, and just stared at amazement.

"Wow, Gab! Would you like another bottle?"

"Actually yeah, I would if you don't mind."

Aya laughed, sticking her head back in the refrigerator and came back out with another bottle of water, "I don't mind!"

I couldn't help but laugh with her. Aya made everything seem so normal for me right now in a sense; I was actually able to think other than wonder about today's events from earlier. I didn't know why it was like earlier with Suki, I just felt so comfortable around them for some odd reason well all of them but Keitaro at the moment.

"So Cajun chicken pasta?" she asked again.

"Yeah, that's fine! If you that's what you want to make!"

"Don't be silly Gab!"

Just like all the times before, Aya popped her head back into the refrigerator but this time came out with some ingredients, and sitting them on the black counter top of the island across from where I was sitting. I watched as she went from one cabinet to another pulling everything out that she needed in perfect harmony not missing a beat on what she was doing. After what seemed to only take a minute to get everything she needed, Aya stood there staring at everything she had out; as if she was making sure she had everything. Suddenly she turned and headed to the sink over to the left of her and started washing her hands. Drying her hands off with the local kitchen towel on the side of the sink, she made her way to the stove which match the refrigerator, and started digging through a cabinet that was on the left side of it. Pulling out a large pot in her one hand, she walked back over the island sitting it down in front of her. She quickly reached over grabbing the measuring cup and head back over to the sink, filling the cup with just the right amount of water. I couldn't help but feel a little out of place and thought I should offer to do something again, but I was unable to speak as I watched her being very cautions on what she was doing like her placing the cup the counter by the sink, bending over to make sure it measured out correctly each time she filled it with water.

Finally after six cups of perfectly measured water, placed in a large pot for boiling, Aya made her way over to the stove with the pot in hand. With a quick flip of the knob on the top of the stove, I watched as the blue flame popped up from underneath the pot. Still watching her every move, she walked back over to the island picking up the salt container along with measuring spoons and headed back over to the stove. It seem to take her a second to find the correct one she needed, but once it was found she was carefully measuring out the exact amount of salt she need just as she did with the water. Adjusts the knob while looking down at the flame this time watching it go up and down trying to find the correct temperature she wanted. She appeared to find the setting she wanted cause in one quick blink her hand had moved from knob up over the stove to the hood above the stove, flipping a little switch, and walked away. The sound of a fan kicked on humming away into the air. I was pretty amazed at watching her, as she was every careful of making sure she took all the precautions of cooking. Back over in front of me on the other side of the island, she started arranging everything placing it somewhere on the island to be making her a more suitable working pace. For a minute I thought she forgot about me being there. Finally she looked back up at me, and asked "What?"

"Oh nothing just watching," I rambled out.

She laughed as she turned back to the sink again and started washing her hands again. With the water running, she turned and looked at me, "Trust me, here soon you're going to think I'm OCD!"

I couldn't help myself; the laughter came rolling out from she said. It didn't even accrue to me the possibility of her having or acting OCD, until she said it. Even the thought of it made me laugh out loud again. Aya was still looking at me with a big smile. She turned off the water, and grabbed the little hand towel beside the sink again while she made her way back to the island.

"I know you think it funny, just like I do. But you wouldn't believe how many people seriously think I do have OCD. I just tell them it's not that, it's just that I liked to be perfect that all!" Aya laughed out loud, as she started to separate the chicken and placing a couple of pieces in a baggy.

"Oh my God, that's funny!"

"I know, but it's worth seen the look on their faces after I say it, that right there is priceless!"

From all the laughing I could feel my throat tightening up on me. I grabbed the second bottle of water that Aya had given me, opened it and took a quick drink. It felt so good going down again, that I had to have another drink. But instead of slipping it this time, I took a big chug of it, while I swallowed very slowly. Sitting the water bottle back down at the same time I finished swallowing the water. I place the lid back on, and shook my whole entire body, due to the coolness I felt all the sudden. Aya just laughed at me as she watched. I couldn't help but smile at her, and then I figured I better volunteer to help so she didn't have to do everything.

"So do you need help with anything?"

"Actually I do! You won't mind chopping the peppers, onions, and mushrooms, would you?"

"Just tell me how you want it done, and I'll do it!" I answered back jumping up from my sit and walked over to wash my hands.

I grabbed the same little hand towel Aya used, and dried my hands as I walked back over to where I was sitting. I stood there, and waited for her to tell me exactly what she wanted things done. Aya had already grabbed everything that I was going to needed to help her out from. Standing there looking over the cutting board, knife, and four medium size bowls that she had sitting out for me. Grabbing one the peppers and showed me exactly the way she wanted it done. At first I thought it was pretty funny how she showed me to cut everything, but I didn't want to upset her any by not doing things her way; everyone had their own little way of doing things. Especially since Aya's parents and her have been very generous to us so far, and it's only been a few hours. Aya moved back over to her spot on the other side of the counter, while I took my spot and started chopping away just the way she showed me. I glanced up at her, to see her still messing with chicken. She was measuring out the amount of Cajun seasoning she need for the chicken. I looked back down at what I was doing, trying ever hard not to cut myself. Chopping away for the moment, I suddenly notice that our parents still weren't here yet; they should have been here by now then figured that they were probably checking out the entire house instead of just the kitchen. I finished chopping the first red bell pepper I had, and place the chopped piece in the bowl that Aya had given me then went on to the next item I was suppose to chop up. For some reason I started wonder what time guessing due to the fact that I was just wondering about our parents. Pausing and looking around the kitchen for a clock. The only thing I seen was the little digital clock that was on the stove, but it appeared to be set as a timer. For a minute I didn't remember Aya setting a timer, but then I also didn't see her start the chicken in the frying pan either. I was totally involved in what I was doing, that I wasn't paying much attention to her let alone anything else. Chopping away at the pepper as Aya had asked me to do, I glanced over at her. Standing there watching her just moving along not miss a beat. It was pretty clear that Aya didn't see me looking her way at first, she was carefully measuring out the rest of the ingredients she needs for the meal. After perfectly measuring out a cup of cream, she suddenly looked up at me with a little confusion on her face.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, everything is fine. I was just going to ask you the time, but I didn't want to disturb you well you were busy with what you were doing."

The confusion on her face seemed to disappear suddenly. She reached into her front pants pocket, and pulled out what looked to be a small little white cell phone. She flipped it open and read the time out loud, "It's a little after five."

"Are you kidding?" I shouted out, not even thinking about how loud my voice was at the moment.

"No, I'm not! You can see for yourself if you like!" Aya scolded back, sounding a little offended by what I said.

"No, No! I believe you, it's just……… Wow I thought it was a lot later than it is!" I calmly replied back, trying to explain for my rudeness "For some reason, it feels like I've been here for several hours."

Aya looked at me with wide eyes, and laughed, "Oh I have that affect on people!"

Laughing away while heading back over to the stove to check on the chicken, Aya turned back looking at me with a funny look and just shook her head. Flipping the chicken over to its uncooked side and then placing the pasta in the large pot she put on earlier. Stirring the pasta in the pot, she glanced back over at the chicken before she came back over to the island. I went back to what I was supposed to be doing for her, and finished chopping up the rest of the items I had. But this time, I pay a little more attention to what was going on around besides what I was doing. Once Aya was back to the island she started grating some cheese. We sat in silence for a few minutes. I finished the last mushroom placed it in its bowl, once done I grabbed the cutting board and knife, and walked over to the sink and washed them. I could feel Aya just staring at me, but she didn't saying anything or stopped me from doing it. Rinsing the stuff off, then placing them in the drainer, I quickly washed my hands before I walked back over to where I was sitting earlier. Once back at my spot I quickly grabbed the bottle of water, and took another drink as I watched Aya grated a larger pile of cheese.

Sitting back down and just watching her all over again in amazement on how she did things. Within seconds, Aya finally spoke, "So tell me about you and everything?"

Not sure what really to say or tell, I quickly hurried and took another drink of water to give me a second to think. We sat at the island for a few minutes just talking, about whatever came up which also helped giving me time to figure out what all I wanted to tell her. She started asking me some of the same questions I had asked her on the way down to her house. I answered them just she answered mine, as I watched her make her way back at the stove, flipping the chicken again. She kept talking as she was finishing everything up at the stove. Aya was so in tune with both me and what she was doing. She never doubted herself once on what she was doing or missed a thing which I knew I wasn't that good at doing at all. We continued talking as she went over to another cabinet and pulled out a handful of plates and placed them on the island. Aya looked as she was getting ready to say something, but then we heard what sounded like the front door being open. We both turned and looked out the door that leads into the dining room. There were several footsteps coming from the very front room, but no other sounds. I looked back at Aya, but her eyes were still focused on the other room. Then suddenly we heard, "Aya? Gabrielle? We're here!"

Botan and Suki came around to the kitchen through the dining room, with my parents not far behind. My father was in heaven when he seen what Aya had made for dinner. Needless to say, Charles loved some "Louisiana cooking" as he would say. Botan told my parents to make their selves at home and to eat up. In no time, were we all forming a line to get our plates full. I let my parents go first, and followed right behind them. I noticed out of the corner of my eye, Aya and her mother over in the corner of the kitchen. They were whispering among each other. Botan was still talking to my parents as he gathers the silverware and napkins, and lead my parents back into the dining room. It was my turn to get my food, but I wanted to see what Aya and Suki were talking about. I kept glancing back and forth at them while trying to watch what I was doing before I made a mess. But before I was able to figure out what they were talking about their conversation was over quickly once Botan called for Aya to bring my parents something to drink. Aya walked quickly away from her mother over to the cabinet where I was guessing they kept their drinking glasses. I turned to head into the dining room to join Botan and my parents. I stepped into the dining room, and took a sit next to my father at the large black dining table that was an attended with three chairs on each side and one at each end. The dining room was exactly the same color as the living room, except there were different little white, black, red pieces for accents in the room. Suddenly everything I was doing and thinking was broken by Charles babbling about Aya cooking. Botan seemed to be very pleased by my father approve and thanked him, and excused himself to go get him a plate.

The dining room was completely quite as soon as Botan stepped out of the room. I looked over my parents; Dad was just too into his food to worry about everything, where my mother was looking over the room as I did when I first sat down at the table. I looked down at my plate and took my first bite of the hard cooked meal Aya made for us this evening. By my surprise it was really good, better than some of the Cajun chicken I had back home, but my thought was interrupted when the sound of glasses clinging together and footsteps came following through the silent room. Looking back at the kitchen to see Aya stepping into the room with everyone's drinks in hand. Quickly making her way around, placing everyone's glasses on the table. The three of us thanked her and she welcomed us while she made her way back into the kitchen. Within seconds Botan and Aya were back in the dining room with us, taking their places at the table. Aya sat directly across from me, beside my mother while Botan took his place at the head of the table. Within second my father couldn't help himself, he had to brag about the dinner. Aya's face started turn a light shade of pink and she thanked him for the compliments. She glanced over at me, and smiled. I also gave her my compliments followed by my mother. Within a minute the room was, everyone was too busy eating to say anything, everyone but Suki.

Taking several bites, and before I knew it, I could feel the Cajun kicking in. I place my fork done, and took a quick drink of the ice tea that Aya had given me. Without even noticing, I had finished it before I sat it back down. Everyone just kind of stared at me at first and started snickering at my reaction. Aya offered to go get me some more, but I told her that it wasn't a big deal, that I would go get my bottle of water off the island that I didn't finished. Excusing myself from the table and making my way back to the kitchen. I found the water bottle in the spot where I had left it, walking over to grab it; I come to find out that it was already empty. Glancing around the kitchen, I seen the trash can over on the other side of the refrigerator. Walking over to tossed the bottle into the trash, and make my way back to the dining room, when I heard my name come from the back door that lead to the hallway, where I first came through to find the kitchen. I stop and turned around, scanning the kitchen to find no one but me in the room. I shook my head thinking that maybe I actually heard them say my name in the dining room and misinterpreted where it was coming from. Turning back around to dining room, I heard my name said again from behind. I turned again looking, and realized that I did hear it coming from behind me like I did just a moment ago. Glancing into the dining room to see if anyone seen me standing there at the moment, but no one seemed to be paying any attention with them talking among their selves. I step back a couple of steps seeing if I could hear anything else coming from the back of the doorway again. It was quiet for a minute then the sound of mumbling came into play. At first I was wondering who it could be then I realized that it had to be Suki, but why was she saying my name for?

Stepping back a little more by the island, I tried to listen in on what she was saying but she talked so low it was very difficult to hear exactly what she was saying. Deciding to walk around over by the stove to see if I could hear any better, I prayed that Suki won't see me snooping around and listening to her conversation. Looking over seeing if she could see me but there was no way possible because I couldn't make out where she was I could only hear her voice. I looked back at the dining room when I heard the eruption of laughter coming from it, making sure no one saw what I was doing. Suki seemed to speak up some when the laughter filled the rooms; I quickly took a couple of small steps closer to her way to see if I could hear her now. I was shocked when I was able to make out what she was saying.

"Keitaro, Michiko will get over it……. Sweetheart, don't worry about it."

For a minute I thought Suki seen me, cause she was quite for a little longer than excepted but then she broke her silences, "Listen just tell her that I want you home in the next thirty minutes. That I said you had to help move in the Lucius into their home."

I froze in place when I heard what Suki just said, I could feel my mouth hanging open from it. At first I was puzzled that she would make him leave his girlfriend to come and helps us. Why would she do that for?

"Keitaro, just tell her that. You're the one who told me to give you an excuse to get away, and I am, so either use that one or figure one out on your own!"

There was another long pause….

"Well Keitaro, if you want why don't you see if the guys will come back with you to help also? I'm pretty sure; we could get a lot done if we had more help especially with the heavier things."

Silences took over again; I grow impatiently to hear what she was going to say next. I needed to hear everything before I made my own assumptions of why he wanted an excuse to leave Michiko.

"Okay, sweetheart I'll see you in a little bit. Don't worry about it…….. I'm pretty sure if you explain things to Gabrielle and apology things will be fine. She seems like a really sweet girl."

Did I just hear what I thought I heard? Was I really hearing this or just making it up on my own?

"Alright Kei…. be careful, love you bye!"

Suki snapped the cell phone shut and let out a big sigh.

Right there I knew was my cue to get out of there and back into the dining room before she sees me in the kitchen. Hopefully no one notice how long I was gone, as I quickly turned around and tipped toed as quickly and quietly as I could back into the other room. Going back in to a normal walk as I stepped over the thus hold of the dining room, I looked around the room to if anyone notice what I did in the other room, but they were all still pretty wrapped up in their conversation they were having. Aya looked up at me with curious eyes, I tried to smile as normal as possible but I knew I was failing as soon as I did it. Aya's looked away quickly and over at my mother, for my mother was asking her a question. I was so glad when Inez distracted Aya from me. I couldn't seem to think straight let alone eat. I had some much going through my head again and of course I couldn't stop thinking of it. I tried so hard to pay attention to everything and everyone around me, listening to their conversations, but I couldn't. All I wanted to do was clear my mind from everything from what I just heard to what all happened earlier, I wanted to get it all out in the open so my head would stop hurting.

I was kind of curious to why Keitaro felt like he needs to escape his girlfriend for? Why was he asking his mother for an excuse? Couldn't he just tell her, he wanted to stay home for some alone time but then again, I went back to thinking about what happen with them earlier and came to the conclusion she won't leave him alone long enough to have any alone time. Then I wanted to know why did he feel that he needs to explain anything to me? Who was I? He didn't do anything to me, as far as I knew.

Too many of my own thoughts came into play. I tried to stop myself thinking about him. Yeah, he was gorgeous in more ways than one, but it still wasn't right for me to think of him that way. Special since I just met him and the fact that he already was with someone. Maybe I was looking at this all wrong, maybe it's nothing. I don't know what it is, but I'm not going to let myself flip out over it. My thoughts were interrupted again by the loud sound of laughter. I finally realized that I just need to get over this and join in on the conversation. Taking several deep breaths, I glanced over to look out the window outside thinking it might help me focus a little better, but for some reason my eye sight was cut off mid-way through. I was unable to look outside, due to the fact that Suki was in the dining room with us now, in her place at the other end of the table. A sudden chill fell down my back and I knew I was as white as a ghost. Suki didn't seem to notice me at first, she was laughing right along with everyone else at the table. Suki's eyes then looked over at mine, she seemed to expect something, but all she did was smile. I couldn't help it, I had to smile back, and it was just automatic whenever she smiled at me even with me feeling the way I did, but at that moment with us looking at each other and smiling. The sudden chill seemed to disappear and all the crazy thoughts I was having seemed to drift away into a vault for later on.

Chapter 6

Apologies

An hour had to of went by as we sat around the dining room table eating and talking our way through dinner. It was nice to be able to sit back and relax and enjoy myself finally. My plate was cleared within minutes after I was able to think clearly along with going through three more bottles of water in the process, I must have been somewhat dehydrate at some point, I couldn't believe it. As we sat around talking Botan told us about his job, which I would of never a guessed was in real estate and was very successful at it. Suki, of course, was a register nurse at the local doctors' office in town but now she was working the front desk of the office part time most days. Botan went on talking about their house and the land they lived on, about how it's been past down so far through three generations of his family, and hoped to give it to either Keitaro or Aya one day. Then the conversation went on about the town and the people who lived in the area. The adults kept the conversation going on for a bit longer. Aya stood up and started clearing the table suddenly. I automatically followed her lead; there was no way I was going to get left in the room with everyone and get ambushed by all sorts of embarrassing questions and stories. Another loud roar of laughter came from behind me, as I walked into the kitchen with my hands full with a couple of plates, silverware, and napkins. Aya started running dish water in the sink, as I started scrapping whatever was left on the plates in the trash. Walking over to the sink, I hand what I had in my hands over to Aya, and stepped over to her other side, and grabbed the folded dish towel that laying beside the drainer. We stood there for a few second in silences, well except for the little bit of mumbling coming from the other room which would change to loud laughter every so often. Aya would wash whatever she grabbed from the dish water, passing the one she was done with over to me. I quickly and thoroughly rinsed it off, and then dried just as so and started making a pile of the clean dishes. Aya seemed to have something on her mind, and before I knew it or could I ask, she pops out, "So what took you so long in the kitchen earlier?"

_Oh she notice, damn it._

"I was looking for the trash can; I didn't want to leave my empty water bottle lying around." I quickly blurted out, hoping she would buy it.

She dropped her hands into the sink and waited before she picked up the next plate. She looked over at me, as if she was studying my face to see if what I was saying was true. She shrugged her shoulders and went back to washing. I signed a low as I could so she wouldn't hear me. She handed me the next plate, and out of nowhere asked, "So what do you think of Keitaro?"

"Huh…….. What?" catching me totally off guard with her sudden question.

"So what do you think about my brother?" she asked again.

"Mmm…… Why?"

Laughing at my silly responses, "I was just curious that's all. I guess I wanted to see if you looked at him the same way all my other friends seem to do."

Trying to keep a straight face and also trying so hard not to drop anything she handed me from my now shaking hands. I started on debating on either lying to her or just being right down honest. I didn't know which one would be better. She looked over at me once, again waiting patiently for an answer. But I was too tongue tied at the moment, I couldn't think of how I was going to answer her question.

"Well?"

"Mmm…. Give me a second. I'm looking for the right words to say." I answered, hoping to buy some time.

With her piercing eyes staring at me, it made it even harder to figure out what to say.

"He seems nice." I lightly responded hoping that it would work for her, but from the look she was giving me, she didn't accept it.

"Oh come on Gab, spit out! I know that's not all you think, right?"

_Oh, damn she's good!_

"Well he does seem really nice, and polite. Good manners are always important you………"

"Cut the b.s.! Do you think he's cute or not?"

I tried to swallow, but it seem whatever it was I was swallowing was stuck in the middle of my throat. Why was I so embarrassed I asked myself for a minute. It was no different answering a previous friend's question about a boy. I never had trouble with it before. But this was different, totally different. For one I just met Aya and her brother. Second for some reason I felt so odd about the situation and third and last he has a girlfriend! I finally decided to give in and give Aya what she wanted, it was pretty clear that I wasn't going to get out of this one. I looked over at her again; she was still staring and waiting. I smiled at her, but she didn't seem amused by it.

"Okay, I'll tell you. Honestly, yeah he is." I spit out finally, feeling the pressure lifted off my shoulders.

"Really...... That's awesome!"

"Awesome?"

"Yeah, it's awesome!"

"Hold on, am I missing something here?" I said confusedly, trying to figure out what was going on here.

"No, you didn't miss a thing!" she replied back, with a little sheepish smile across her as she went back to washing dishes.

There was something I missed, I knew it. Then all the sudden I felt that vault in the back of my head bust open and all those questions and assumptions came flooding back through my head. I try so hard to contraction on what I was doing. But my whole body became a nerve wreck in a heartbeat. I was sure enough I was going to break something. Aya didn't say anything the rest of the time we were washing dishes. She kept stealing glances at me every couple of minutes and would snicker softly. I knew the look on my face had to be the reason, but I wasn't too sure and honestly could care less at that moment. I just wanted to hurry and get this over with so I could back down the road to where I was going to be staying for now on. For a moment after everything ran its course through my head, I started to feel the urge to confront Aya and have her tell me whatever it was she thought especially if it had to do with me. Right when I was about to do it, confronting her, the front door of the house open and all I could hear was, "Hey Mom, Dad!"

I froze in place as I heard all the footsteps stop in the next room beside where Aya and I were. Aya had placed a glass in my hand, but as soon as he spoke again, it fumbled out of my hands, and about went crashing to the floor. I don't know how I did it or even if I did do it, but somehow I was able to catch it before it shatter all over the floor. I looked up at Aya, who was looking at me now, had a weird expression on her face. At first I figure she was like me and glad I caught the glass before it was destroy but then I came to realize that wasn't it. She was making the look, because she was trying so hard not to laugh out loud! If looks could kill Aya should have been on the floor, instead of dragging me to the dining room. It only seemed like seconds went by when Aya went into over drive with the dishes. She had all the washed and was putting up the pile I had dried before I had time to rinse one glass out. Before I knew it I was rinsing and she was drying and putting up. No sooner than Aya turned the nozzle to the faucet off, she already had me moving toward the room where everyone else was in. She looked back at me once or twice, I guess to see my expression. I tried so hard to give her the look of death but she just giggled and kept tugging me along for the ride. We were a foot from the door when she all the sudden stop, and pushed me over to the side with her. I looked at her with confusion, but within seconds of that she started explaining her actions.

"Okay, here we go and by the way you might want to go with a different look. You know so no one starts asking questions!" she whispered, "oh and one more little thing, breathe!"

I didn't have time to negation with her. As soon as I opened my mouth to say something, I was hurrying up and closing it as she yanked me through to the dining room. Everyone seemed to look up at us, as we made our entrances. I prayed to God that I didn't look funny. But I knew with my luck, I wasn't so lucky! I looked over everyone's faces to see if maybe I could tell if I was doing anything funny, maybe their look would help. I started with Botan since he was right in front of me, but he's face was cheerful there was nothing there to say otherwise. Then I glanced over to my father and then to my mother, they both had smiles on their faces, but nothing alarming. Then it was Suki's turn, the thought of looking at her turned my stomach, but I was pleasantly surprised to find her face was just as cheerful as Botan, and nothing more. My stomach settle for the moment, until I realized those weren't the only faces in the room. I knew pretty much not to even look at Aya because she would send my emotions over board in seconds, and then everyone would want to know what was going on.

Over by the other doorway, they stood all six of them. I started with the back one and worked every slowly to look at each one. But there was nothing out the usual with them either, until I got to the person in the front. For some reason I felt he knew what I was doing, saving him for last. But before I could stop myself, I was already looking into his deep dark blue eyes. I tried to hold myself together from doing anything stupid. A smile broke across his face and within a second mine had broken across mine. I looked away as quickly as possible trying to think of a way to escape. Before I could come up with anything to say, Botan had beat me to the punch, "Well I guess we better head down to old Killian house and get you guys somewhat settle in. Need to get these boys to work before they decide to take off to somewhere else."

Everyone seems to laugh at Botan little remark. Charles and Inez got up from the table and pushed in their chairs, being very careful not make any noise. Botan and Suki followed right behind them. I watched as my father stepped over to the guys in the room and bring up his hand getting ready to introduce himself, which I was hoping already happened.

"I'm Charles Lucius, and this is my wife Inez," I heard my father say to Keitaro, as my mother walked over to them.

"I'm Keitaro, Botan's son and these are my friends, Ken, Chaz, Hunter, Landon, and Lee." Keitaro responded back to my parents, as he shook both of their hands.

Feeling relieved after my father went over and introduce Inez and him. It gave me a chance to break eye contact with him and get the hell out of the room. I grabbed Aya by the arm; it was my turn to drag her around some. Aya didn't seem a bit surprise by my reaction. She had that same look on her face again as she did in the kitchen, where she was trying not to laugh. I looked at her so annoyed at everything, that I ended up snapping at her, "You're going to explain all of this to me later!"

Without speaking a word due to everyone coming into the front room where I had dragged Aya, she kindly nodded her head as if she was agreeing to my order. I kindly smiled back to show her that I seen that she had agreed. Not giving her the chance to back out or change her mind, I turned and quickly headed for the front door. I seen the Tahoe at the end of the driveway and felt so relieved that I could be somewhere that felt so normal to me, and also could hide. I headed straight the Tahoe without looking back to see what everyone else was doing. Reaching for the handle to the back door, I suddenly heard my father yell for me. I didn't want to look at him; I wanted to pretend that I didn't hear a thing he said and hop right into the SUV. But instead I gave in and turn to him. Without saying anything he pointed towards the Hummer, where Aya and Keitaro stood looking back at me seeing if I was going to follow through with my father's order. Dropping my hand to my side with a low sigh, I turned dragging myself over to the Hummer. I didn't even have to look to see that Aya was glowing like crazy about the idea of her brother and me in the same car. But worse was, she ended up putting me up front. Without any arguments I went to the front and got in. Aya climbed into the back with Chaz, while the other guys slide into the Civic in front of us. I watched as Botan and Suki hopped into the Tahoe with my parent's. Keitaro, hopped in the Hummer, I seen him peeking out the corner of his eye in my direction, but I just looked off as I didn't see a thing. I seen his hand reach up to a switch that he flipped down then turn the key bringing the Hummer to life. It didn't sounds anything like I image it would. I totally expected it to sound loud; I guess more like a truck.

Watching out the side mirror again at the Tahoe, watching it back up out of the driveway and make its way down the road towards our new home. I felt something on my seat suddenly that made me turn to find that Keitaro had placed his hand on my seat, as he looked back at the end of the driveway. I knew I should have looked away before he looked my way, but I couldn't seem to look away and right at that moment our eyes locked together once again. He smiled and I turned my head quickly, before I could do anything or got too lost in his eyes. I could hear Aya giggle behind me, along with feeling her staring at me. Keitaro slowly back out of the driveway as he got closer to the road he moved his hand. Looking both ways out the windows, within seconds we were out of the driveway and following the Tahoe in front of us. I kept telling myself, that everything was all good. It was just a short drive to the house. No more than a couple of seconds. The Tahoe flipped its right turn signal on and turned into the gravel driveway. It was kind of weird watching it happen, since I was in the Tahoe for its first time up the driveway. It was sort of like déjà vu for me, but hopefully the fall on my face and fainting won't happen again. Keitaro followed my dad up the driveway, along with the Civic behind us. The Tahoe came to a stop; Keitaro stopped a couple of feet away from the Tahoe and cut the engine. I looked up at the house again, like I did the first time. Luckily I didn't feel the same feeling I did earlier, so I took that as a good sign. Jumping out of the Hummer as quickly as possible, just wanting to get out of the weird situation of wanting to look at him.

I tried to walk but end up running over to my parents and Botan and Suki were. I didn't want Aya's eye on me and giving me that look that I knew she would be giving me as soon as I looked at her. Inez looked at me with a questioning look on her face she looked behind me then back at me. The look she had was gone now, she just had a quite little smile on her face. I wonder what caused her sudden change, I knew I shouldn't of done it but I could resist, I glanced back to see Keitaro walking over right behind me. There was something definitely that I was missing, good thing I would be getting Aya alone here soon, and then I wouldn't be out of the loop. I felt a little relieved when I thought about knowing what was going on, but what I didn't know that it was written all over my face. Charles came around the front of the SUV, and looked at me a little strangely and asked what was up. I'm guessing from my reaction this morning and my reaction now, he must have been wonder what I was up to, this time.

"Nothing Dad, I'm just ready to get this over with."

He stared at me for another minute, and then shook his head. I notice he became distracted by something from behind me, he started to walk over. This time I wasn't looking to see what he was up to or what it was he saw. I watched as he walked past me, then he was out of site. I glanced back over to my mom who was now accompanied with Suki and Botan. They were talking among their selves, I couldn't hear what they were saying but it looked like whatever it was had to do with the house. I looked up at the house again, just waiting for something to happen. But nothing did, not like it did earlier today and for that I was thankful. The sounds of footsteps were coming beside me looking over to see Aya came over to join me. I looked around her to see that my father had joined the group of guys, and was laughing and carrying on. They must have been talking about who was going to do what. You know the whole macho man thing. Taking turns to make their selves sound stronger than the other one for my father's entrainment. That happened to be one thing I notice about ever guy I have ever met in my life, they all had this macho ego thing going on, which personal I didn't get and probably never would. I glanced back at Aya, whose eyes were going over the house from top to bottom, to bottom to top. I laughed to myself and grabbed her arm. As soon as my hand had touched her, she looked over and started to ask more than likely what I was doing. But before she could, I started to drag her up the yard towards the house. All the chatter that I heard started to sound like mumbling until it was completely gone. Glancing back Aya expecting her to fight back or something, but she didn't she just follow along still looking at the house. I really didn't understand how they all looked at the house the way they did. I mean yeah at first when I first seen it, I more than likely had the same expression but now it was just house to me, just another one of my parents crazy obsessions. But to see the way the Danno's acted was even weirder because I mean they lived right down the road from the place, I know they must have seen it over a dozen times, passing it. We were about half up the yard, when I planned to go on and ask her what was going on. I looked back to see what everyone was doing hoping no one was watching us, but they weren't this time the two little groups had came together forming one large group. I turned back and looked at Aya, "Now tell me what is going on!"

Aya looked at me sort of puzzled at first, like she quite didn't understand what I was asking, "What do you mean what is going on?"

"You know everything from the whole thing with your brother, plus what's up with everyone giving me weird looks or crazy smiles? Did I miss something? Did I not read a signal right? What is it, Aya? You have to tell me!" I started rambling trying so hard not to flip out and start yelling, but I started to tell her what I wanted to know, I felt annoyed and angry, my body was shaking.

"Calm down Gab! It's nothing like that!" she quickly replied guessing she seen how my reaction was and was trying to calm me down.

Aya looked down the yard at the same group as I did right before I confronted her. She looked back at me then looked up at the house. Bring her eyes back to me, she nodded her head towards the house, as if she was trying to tell me where we were wasn't a good place for our discussion. I took the hint and went with it. We started walking again. About after about five steps, I heard Aya take a large breath and let it out slowly. Hearing her was not helping me at all. Was this something major, more than what I thought?

"Okay listen Gab; I'm really sorry that this seems more than it really is. No you didn't miss anything or read anything wrong. You haven't done a thing, well you sort of didn't!"

_I sort didn't? What the hell did she mean by that?_

Then I heard her take another breath and let it out, so I decided to wait a minute longer to see if she going to finish what she saying. Aya pushed her hands down inside her white hoodie jacket she was wearing and pulled it around her, like she was wrapping her arms around herself trying to stay warm. Her eyes were to the ground, and it appeared she may have been thinking at the moment, but I really couldn't tell.

"See Gab it's like this… when I see you earlier I thought you were very pretty and I thought may that since you were new and pretty that maybe… maybe it would sort of distract my brother….."

"Do what? Me? Distract your brother?"

"Just let me finish, good Lord you're a drama queen!"

I couldn't help myself, the laughter just came out. Aya looked at me all confused, I guess wondering why one minute I was ready to bite her head off the next I was cracking up over something she said. But I couldn't stop the laughing, it felt so good and it seemed to make everything else just disappear.

"I'm so sorry, Aya! I didn't mean to laugh, it's just you said drama queen and my parents call me one all the time, so at the moment it was kind of funny well I guess to me mainly." I giggled out, hoping she could understand me.

Aya shook her head and rolled her eyes at me, and tried again explaining what she was trying to say before I rudely interrupted her,

"Okay maybe distract wasn't the best term to use. See Gab it's like this. Michiko and Keitaro have been together for a little over a year now, and it's been the worst year ever. Michiko and I used to be really good friends, I was the only one who would talk to her when she first moved here."

"She just moved here?"

"Well no, see she used to live here when she was little, then her family left and moved back to Japan for awhile. She lived over there for about five years, and then they came back here a little over a year and half ago. It wasn't quite the beginning of the year, I guess about two or three months into school, she showed up. Most of the girls were scared of her cause of the way she looks, and then they grow into not liking her because she was pretty and of course the stupid boys were all into her. She was the talk of the town.

"She ended up being in all my classes, so we kind of connected right away, sort of like me and you did today. We did everything together; she was a really good person, really sweet. Well about six months later, Michiko had to go back to Japan due to a family tragedy. Her grandfather had became ever ill all the sudden and within a week of find out he was ill, he past. Michiko missed about a month of school; she was so upset and depressed. She was every close to her grandfather.

"Michiko started blaming everyone in her family for the tragedy and grow every hateful towards everyone including me. Well a couple of weeks went by and she started acting pretty normal. The only thing that changed was, she never wanted me to come over to her house, and she wanted to come to mine all the time. At first I didn't mind, it was nice for a change, cause before it was always her house, never mine. I just figured she was still upset with family over the death and everything so I didn't push it."

Aya stopped again, a stood still for a moment still looking at the ground as if she was looking for something. She started breathing heavier than before and it looked as she was shaking as I was a few minutes ago. I didn't know what to say, for a moment I actually felt sorry for Michiko. I couldn't even imaging how that was for her, I would of probably be the same way if it was one of my grandparents who all I was very close too. She seemed to stop shaking and her breathing stop right along with it. For a minute I thought I was going to have to give her mouth to mouth, and hope that my version of CPR would do the trick until someone came along to take over. I went to grab her arm again, and she jerked away. She looked up, looking as she was trying to control her emotions on the whole subject.

"Aya if this bothers you talking about it, you don't have too…… I didn't know,"

But before I could finish what I wanted to say, Aya put her index finger over her mouth instead of telling me shut up. I quickly stopped talking and just stared at her.

"I didn't know what she was up too. I didn't know she was using me, to get to Kei. I thought we were such good friend, best friends. It all happened so fast. Kei know who Michiko was and everything, but he never thought anything more of her. I think it bothered her at first that he didn't. That he didn't want her the way the rest of the guys did. I swear to God she has him brain washed, cause it was like one day he didn't notice her and then the next he couldn't stay away from her. And ever since then it's been hell for everyone. Michiko isn't the same person, she not the same girl I used to know before she left for Japan and before her grandfather's death. She has totally flipped. She really doesn't say anything to people she doesn't like; she has ways of getting her way no matter what it is. She's constantly on my brother case about everything. She thinks she so perfect and that she has a right to everything and anything.

"So that's leads me back to you. See no one has been able to get Kei to look their way, no more than a friend. Kei is a great guy, a good guy. But Michiko is destroying that. So I wanted to test it out, I wanted to see how you two acted when you met. I figured you would think he's hot; all my friends. So that's why I told you to breath, cause you wouldn't believe how many friends that have passed out over him, I mean he's a my brother and all and yeah he's a little cutie but come on… I wasn't too worried about your reaction, I was ready for it. It was Keitaro that I was interested in. And for once it worked."

Standing there listening to Aya little scheme throw me for a loop. I knew my mouth had to be hanging open in disbelief that she would do this, use me as a human guinea pig to test her theory.

"Gab please doesn't be mad! You should be happy!"

"And why should I be happy?"

"Because for the first time in a year, you are the first person that Kei has shown any interested in. I mean I haven't seen him smile like that in forever. It's nice to know that deep down he's still there. I know I must sound crazy to you, Gab!"

"Yeah, for the most part you do!"

"Gee thanks, I tell you what you want to know, and you just think I'm insane!"

"Well Aya, what am I suppose to think. I just meet you and in like twenty minute you throw me at your brother, expect me to be okay with it, and the worst part is he belongs to someone else." I sighed, hoping maybe she would see why I felt the way I did.

She started walking ahead of me for a moment; she stopped and turned around, taking a deep breath then looked up at the sky. She slowly brought her head back down with her eyes closed and started talk very low, "I know what you mean, and I'm sorry for not telling you but I'm not sorry for what I did. You might think I'm crazy, but I know deep down I can feel it in me, that Keitaro will leave Michiko for you!"

My eyes bugged out of my head when I heard the last line of what she was saying. Each word taking their time to sink in, as if I was making sure I heard her right. I couldn't believe it! I mean yeah I was a little tickled to death that she thought that might happen, but I knew it would never be only in my dreams! We stood there in silences for God knows how long; we couldn't even look at each other now. Was our new found friendship already over that quick? I turned and looked down the yard again, and notice that everyone was heading up towards us. I turned back and notice Aya was still there, but looking over to her right towards the tree area of the yard. I didn't know what to say to her, I wanted to believe her but then again I didn't. This was all crazy non-sense. Well except for the whole story about Michiko, I'm guessing for the most part it was true. But honestly could she really be that bad?

I heard my father shouted from behind.

"Ready whenever you are Mr. Luc…. I mean Charles." Aya had replied answering my father, I looked at her to see that she had warm smile on her face, like nothing happened.

"Great!"

I waited for the group to come around us, and started to follow right around the middle from the looks of it you would of never of known that I wasn't already part of the group. I looked around the group to notice Inez was no where around. I stopped and looked back at the vehicles to see that the Tahoe was right behind the group up the yard. Charles lifted the door up on the moving trucks trailer, the sound startle me. I looked around to see if anyone notice me jumping out of my skin from the noise, but no one appeared to notice. I walked around the group to stand over beside my father. After getting to my father side, he looked over at me and smiled throwing his arm around me, giving me a quickly big hug at his side. He lightly kissed the top of my head, and looked back down at me, "So I'm guessing you never did get to figure out what room you wanted did you?" he asked in almost a whisper.

Instead of speaking, I just shook my head. He knows pretty much my answer already.

"Well why don't Aya and you go on in, and maybe she can help you figure it out, since you two seem to hit it off great today."

I already knew that he wasn't asking me, he was pretty much requesting for it to happen. Without arguing or speaking again, I just shook my head lightly and walked away towards Aya. Aya looked at me, I'm guessing she heard what Charles had said, she turned right before I had gotten to her, and she started for the steps. She started up the steps, letting her get a few in before I followed behind. By the time I had looked up she was gone. I could hear her footsteps on the porch, guessing she was headed towards the door. Climbing the last couple of steps, I saw her leaning against the side of the front door staring off into space, like she was daydreaming. Making my way over towards the door and where she stood, I notice the look on her face was gone, like I had interrupted her thought because she was looking right at me now. Her eyes were heavy with sadness; she looked as if she was biting her bottom lips as if she was trying to stay quite. She suddenly looked away like she was ashamed to have me look her straight in the face. At first I was sort of glad Aya felt bad, she should after what she had pulled but then I started feeling bad and with her sadness it seem to wash over me. God why did I have to be a sucker for?

"Aya, listen. I…….. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, I was just…….. A little upset about what you did………… it sort of caught me off guard……….. Maybe if….. If I had sometime of idea what was going on…… then….. Then maybe………. I wouldn't have overreacted to all of this." I tried so hard to explain, trying to find the right words, now I only hoped she would forgive me.

"It's okay, I deserved it. I should of talk to you first. I'm sorry. I promise I will talk to you before I do anymore crazy things like that." She rushed out, guessing before she said anything that might mess things up even more, she even brought her hand up twisting her index finger and her middle around each other like she was promising.

Happy to see that she understood why I was upset and was willing to give me a heads up next time she decide to do something like this. I smiled at her hoping she would see that I accepted her apology. Standing beside Aya and the front door, I went on and started reaching for the door knob. Lifting the ring up and slamming it back down, as I remembered from my recent battle with it earlier today. We stood there for a moment as the door creped open as it did last time, I turned back to Aya to say, "Well here we go, time to figure out which room I going to been for awhile."

*

Several hours had to go by; as Aya and I waited patiently on the second floor for the guys to bring us stuff to put in the rooms upstairs. We watched from top step as they took turns bring in furniture and boxes into the front room. Then having Inez directing them to what room they need to go in. Charles and Botan were up in the moving truck trailer handing the stuff down to the boys most of the time, every once in awhile you would see one of them come in while they were assisting one of the other boys with a piece of furniture. Aya and I would get lucky here and there getting a few things every now and then. We would just pretty much stack whatever it was along the walls of the upstairs, since we weren't too sure what all my parents were going to do what in which room. The upstairs of the house, was pretty big. It was unbelievable; there were at least four rooms on each side of the hallway and three on the back wall. Aya and I end up choosing the middle room on the back wall to be my room. It was the largest room on the second floor. The door on the left side of my new found bedroom was my new bathroom, and it was almost as big as my bedroom and the door on the other side of my room was just an empty room, which looked like it was just used for storage, guessing who ever lived here before didn't want to go to the attic to storage their stuff. Which I sort didn't blame them. Then Aya gave me a good idea, as we took turns with the boxes moving them across the hallway.

"If I was you Gab, I would make that other room on the other side of your room, sort of like your closet. I mean why not I mean look at your room then your bathroom. It's almost like having your own place!"

"That's a sort of a good idea, going to have to talk to the parental control about it first though, you know!"

"Yeah, I know what you mean!" she laughed back, as she pushed the next box the boys dropped off up the top of the steps past me to the other side of the hallway.

After about six more boxes, the guys stop coming up the top of the stairs. After a few minutes of waiting, Aya and I sat down on the top step and watched as everyone else from the down stairs ran around like a bunch of chickens with no heads. I just stared in amazement watching all of them. Finally I could feel the wear and tear of moving everything getting to me and making me tired. I glanced over at Aya and asked her what the time was; she pulled out her tiny little cell phone again, and answers my question with the answer being a little past eight-thirty I was shocked by the answering swear it had to be later. But I just over looked it and kept on watching everything going on down stairs. Finally Charles and Botan walked into the door, with what appeared to be the last two boxes. They quickly followed their direction they were giving by Inez and headed into the other room, and came back into view. Charles looked up the stairs to see Aya and me sitting there looking back down at him. He tapped Botan on the shoulder and said something to him. The next thing I knew they were heading our way up the steps. I jumped up right before they got up to where we were and stepped out of their way. Aya had the same idea in mind, and was staying beside me before I could say anything. They were up at the top now, standing there catching their breath for a second, and then looked over at us. Charles asked which room did I decided on, and I pointed to the room for his answer. Without another word they were heading to the room I just point at. For a most I was sort of lost, wondering what they were planning on doing. So out of curiosity I followed from behind with Aya coming too. They were in the door, and walked over and looked the room over. I watched from the door with Aya, still wondering what they were doing. I guess my dad was wondering what I picked out. Then right when I was about to ask what was going on, I seen them walk over to the pieces of railing and bars to my bed that a couple of the guys bought up for me. Then it hit me they were going to put my bed up for me real quick. I must have had sleep written all over when Charles looked up at us sitting on the stairs. Charles and Botan worked on putting my bed together while I walked over to the boxes that were in the middle of the room that we place in the room, knowing they were mine and started looking for the box that I had written bedding on. Aya walked over beside me and watched as I was digging.

"Need some help?" she quickly asked, as she walked over to the other side of the boxes like she was looking for the same thing I was.

"Yeah, I was looking for the box that has my bedding in it."

Within second, Aya had found the box, and pushed it over to me. I glanced over at Charles and Botan to see that they were pretty much had the bed together and asked my dad if he would give me his box cutter when he was done. He shook his head, as he helped Botan lift up my queen size mattress and placed it on top of the box spring of the bed. They sat it down, and then Charles places his hand on the post of my head board and shook the bed, making sure it was together. After the bed stayed together, Charles walked over to me and handed me the box cutter.

"Please be careful with it Gabby, please!"

"I promise Dad, I'll bring it right to you when I'm done." I smiled back at him; reinsure him that I would be careful.

He smiled back, and placed it in my hand. I didn't know if Botan and my dad were still in the room or not, but at the moment I just didn't care. I pushed the button on the box cutter and watched as the blade came out. Taking the blade to the box right in front of me, and cut through the tape that was there. Putting the blade back down in the handle, I started going through the box pulling out of the items in the box. Aya came around and started taking the sheets and blanket from me and walking over to my bed placing them on the bed. I grabbed the next box I seen that had the words pillows written across the side of the box, and pushed it over to the bed. Without even asking, Aya was unfolding the fitted sheet and spread it across the bed. I walked over to the other side of the bed, and started helping her. In a minute we were completely finished with the bed, and I quickly opened the box with the pillows, and started placing them on the bed. I heard Aya giggled from behind me, I guess what I was doing seemed funny to her. I grabbed the last pillow out of the box and put it in its place on the bed. I turned and bent down and grabbed the box to break it down, and then there was a knock all the sudden. Looking over towards the door to find that it was Suki; standing at there waiting patiently for me to tell her to come in.

"Hi Mrs. Danno, you can come in." I smiled at her.

She smiled back and took a step forward. She looked at the room for a moment, then over the bed, and back to me. She looked as if she was hesitating to ask something at first, but it seemed that something in the room gave her confidences to say whatever she was going to say.

"That is a beautiful bed, Gabrielle!" she commented walking over to the bed and ran her hand down the iron frame of my foot board.

"Thank you, Mrs. Danno. It was a gift from my grandmother."

She turned back and looked at me, with her pleasant smile.

"Oh Gabrielle please call me Suki."

"Oh okay then Su….ki… sorry that's going to take some time to get used to."

"Well girls, I'm sorry to come in and bother you. But I was just speaking with your mom, Gabrielle. Is sees that the water company and the gas company didn't come out and turn the things back on. So there won't be anything they can do until tomorrow. So I just wanted to let you know, if you would like to, you're more than welcome to come down to our home and take a shower. It might help you sleep after such a long day." Suki finally said, guessing she must have been thinking how to say it without sounding demanding or pushy.

"Thank you Mrs., I mean Suki. I honestly think I will take you up on that offer. I do think it would help if I did."

Suki smiled back this time a little bigger than before and shook her head.

"Well go on and get whatever you need to take with you, and meet us down stairs. Keitaro is going to run us back down to the house. And I'll bring you back afterwards, because I also will have picked up Botan. He's going to stay behind and help finish with a few things with your father."

Instead of responded I just shook my head and stared glancing over the boxes, trying to think which one had what I needed in it. Suki shook her head again at me then turn and left the room. Aya already seemed to know what I was thinking and headed back over to the boxes. It didn't take every long to find for her to find the one box with my clothes, while I searched for the other box I need. Once I found the box I was looking for I quickly ran through the box, grabbing everything I need for a shower. After double checking myself twice, I went over to the box Aya had found and opened it and started going through it. Luckily there was one of my small bags I used for dancing in the box with my clothes, I grabbed it and started shoving everything I found into the bag. As I was packing, I notice Aya was looking at something over closer by the door. I wasn't sure what it was she was looking at, from where I was all that was there were other boxes.

"Question," I heard Aya finally say.

"What?"

"You have a couple of boxes that say dance on it. What's dance?"

"Oh that's my stuff for dance. You know like shoes, and outfits."

I wasn't sure if my answer confused her or what. But she turned and looked at me with a very strange look.

"Aya, are you okay?"

"Yeah, Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just stunned!"

"Okay, why?"

"Cause you're in dance!"

"Okay, sssooo?"

"Please tell me, you are going to enroll at the location dance studio."

At first it took me a minute to realize that it wasn't that she was confused about anything, it was that she was completely excited by what she just found.

"Yeah, I'm planning on it in the next day or two."

This is so awesome! Okay what type of dance do you do?"

"Mmm.… I like them all. If possible I would like to do all of them." I explained as I got up off the floor and walked towards her.

"Oh my God!" was all I could hear come out of her mouth over and over again.

"So are you in dance or something?" I asked hoping maybe it would stop her from her o.m.g moment she was having.

She giggled "Oh yeah. And love it! I'm so happy!"

"Awesome! Most of my friends before weren't really into the styles I like or they didn't dance at all."

"Well don't worry! Here you'll see there are more people here that enjoy the same things you do." She smiled back at me, as she grabbed my arm and we walked out the door heading for the first floor.

*

With all of us loaded up in the Hummer in no time, and before Aya could say anything or call the front seat for me. I got into the back as quick as possible then she followed in right behind. Everyone was very quiet once we were all in the only sound there was; was the steady purr of the engine. Keitaro went around the driveway then turn left to make our way back to their house. The drive seemed a lot quicker this time with us going to my house, but it could have been from the way things were earlier and the way I was seeing things. Keitaro slowed pulled into the driveway and before he throw the truck into park, there were three honks that had went past. It dawn on me that it was the Civic; Keitaro's friends were saying their good-byes as they head home for the evening. Stepping out of the Hummer and reaching back on the floor board to grab my bag I started to feel nervous about being here suddenly. The walk around the Hummer to the front door, made the nervous creep up a little faster than with no one saying a word still just made it even worse as I followed behind everyone into the house, I thought it was a little strange that no one had said a word yet. Were they always quite around each other?

Stepping into the front room last and closing the door behind me quietly. I could hear Suki talking to Aya but unable to hear exactly what she was saying. I watched as Aya shook her head and turned back to look at me. She had a bright smile on her face, and wave towards her, as if she was telling me to come here. I followed and started for her, but as soon as I started walking towards her she was making her way up the stairs. Without questioning anything, I just kept walking following her lead. Walking past the living room entrances once again, from the noise of the television I found myself glancing over towards the room. The light from the screen seem to be changing colors every quickly from what I seen, then I seen that it because of the channels were being changed, at a really quick speed. For some reason, I looked back at the couch knowing who it was sitting there already but I found myself looking over at Keitaro sitting on the couch with the remote in his hand flipping through the channels. He looked so wore out and tired, but he also looked as if something was seriously bothering him. I tried so hard to turn my head back up towards the stairs, but I couldn't. Something about his look won't let me look away from him as I slowly walked to the stairs. For a minute I didn't think he seen me, but something seemed off. Trying to look away and still unable to I seen the reason why I couldn't look away once again. It seem to happen so quickly I didn't even realized it, he was looking at me. He had caught me looking at him. Even though it felt so weird that he caught me looking at him, and I could still feel the nervousness, there was something canceling the two feelings out making me feel humbled inside. He stared with his dark eyes for a moment, I hoped for his smile to come across his face, but it appeared whatever it was that was bothering him wasn't going to let that smile out. Taking that as my sign to get out of there, I looked away as I went to take my first step up the stairs but I caught myself looking back at him one more time before I bolted up the steps. He sat there still flipping through the channels, and looking in my direction with the same look. Looking away again, I forced myself go on and get up the steps before something happen or questions started popping up about what I was doing.

Take each step one at a time, and seeing his face over and over again in my head with that look, made me so uncomfortable. I seen Aya standing over by the first door on the left once I was half way up the stairs, just standing there waiting on me. I tried so hard to cover up my emotions at the moment from what I saw down stairs before I came up, but it seemed that I didn't have to worry too much Aya seemed to have something else on her mind from the look on her face. She stepped into the room right when I was just a couple of steps away. Once around the corner and inside the room with Aya, she started showing me where everything was from where they kept the towels to where the hamper was to dispose of the towels when I was done. She gave me a quick quiz over how the shower worked and which knob was which. I placed my bag on the counter, and made sure I kept on my eyes on her as she talked. She instructed me on where other things where just in case I forgot something. When she was finished talking, I stood there with a smile on my face and shook my head. She smiled back and nodded, leaving the room and closing the door on her way out. It seemed pretty odd for Aya too rush like that I thought, but maybe she had something else she needed to get to right away.

Stepping over to the door, making sure it was shut all the way and turned the lock, just a little thing I even do at my own house. I stepped over to the tub, and turned the knob to the hot water on, let it run for a few seconds and then turn the middle knob that was for the shower. Closing the shower curtain as the shower kicked on, placing my hand in the water letting it run over my left hand as I used the right one to set the water to the correct temperature I was looking for. After finding it, I walked back over to the little closet where the towels were and grabbed what I needed. Placing the folded towels on the counter, as I grabbed my bag and started pulling out everything I had stuffed in it. Sitting my clothes on the other side of the sink over to the edge by the wall, and placed my tooth brush and tooth paste closer to the sink and my lotions in between the two. Grabbing all my shower things, I walked back over to the shower and lined the up on the side of the tub for the moment, while I grabbed the first medium size towel and laid it out of the floor. With the two larger towels in hand, taking them and tossing them over the shower rod half way, towards the back of the shower, leaving me with a wash cloth in my hand. I quickly placed the wash cloth on the side of the tub with everything else I had already put there and quickly under dress.

Carefully stepping into the shower, making sure I didn't slip or anything. I quickly got into the water, trying to avoid getting cold. The hot water fell on to the top of my head and ran down the rest of me. I could feel all my muscles loosen up. My mind was free and empty of anything and everything. It felt so good. I didn't want to move or think about anything but the hot water caressing me. Wanting the hotness of the water to wash away everything that had happen today, and at that moment it did. Everything was peaceful and quite. I stood in the water for a few more minutes, and then quickly got to work on taking a shower. Before I knew it, I was in heaven again not causing of the water this time, but cause of the smell in the room with me. The smell of coconut filled the air and my nose, making wish I was on some exotic beach away from all the craziness. After washing my hair and body, I decided to standing in the hot water for a few more minute before getting out. With the combination of the water and the coconut bath set I used, I didn't care about anything else. The hot water stopped feeling as hot as it did, and that was my cue to get out. One thing I couldn't stand was cold water especially after a relaxing shower like that. Fumbling with knobs, turning the shower off and then the water, I throw my hair forward ringing it out as much as possible and reaching for a towel at the same time. I quickly wrapped my hair and grabbed the other towel and started drying off as quickly as I could without cause myself to fall. After running the towel over my body, I wrapped it around me while pushing the shower curtain back to step into a foggy room. It felt like a sauna now, which I was completely fine with. I removed the towel and re dried my body off again, making sure I got all the water before applying on my lotion. Within seconds, I was done lotioning my body and my face. Quickly throw on the pair of black yoga pants I brought with the pink tank top that went with the little strip of pink going down the leg of the pants and the match hooded jacket. Trying and hurry to finish with everything else I needed to do like brushed my teeth, I felt myself rushing to grab everything of mine and throw it all in my bag so I could get out of the room. I had to be in here for awhile. Taking my hair down from the towel, and realizing right there that I did forget something..... My hair brush, I could feel myself starting to feel annoyed by the sudden discover, but I pushed it away, as I ran my hand through my hair real quick and pulled it back into a messing ponytail. I could brush when I get home no big deal. I looked through the room to make sure I had everything; placing the towels in the hamper as Aya told me to do, and closing the shower curtain back. I picked up my bag and headed for the door. Fumbling with the lock for a minute, I took a quick breath and pulled the door open and stepped out.

It was very quiet in the Danno's house except for the sound of the TV down stairs. I looked around the upstairs to see if I could see a light or hear Aya talking. But I came up empty handed. I assumed she might have been down stairs watching TV with Keitaro. I ran down the steps heading for the living room. Walking around the corner again of the room, I found what I seen earlier before I went up stairs. Keitaro sitting on the couch watching something on TV, this time the remote sat beside him on the couch. He didn't look as upset as he did earlier. I glanced around the rest of the house the best I could see, but I didn't see any other lights on or hear anybody else. I looked back at Keitaro, wondering what was going on. I knew I had to talk to him, if I wanted to know where Aya and Suki were. But I was having trouble getting myself to say anything. I kept telling myself to do it, but I couldn't seem to make myself follow through. At first I thought about just walking out the door and start walking, but honestly I was tired and I didn't think I would make it. Somehow, I was going to have to face up and talk to him. It wasn't that big of deal. He's no different than any other guy I ever talked to before but then again he was. I don't know why, I met plenty of cute guys, but for some reason I was lost with words with this one! Finally I told myself I was going to do it; I was going to talk to Keitaro. Making myself take a several deep breaths, hoping he didn't see me acting the way I was. I'm pretty sure if he did, he would be laughing his ass off. Then I was off, I took my last deep breath, and took a step forward into the living room, and asked, "Hey Keitaro, where is everybody?"

Keitaro looked up at me sort of shocked, like he was surprise by me talking to him. He quickly looked back at the TV and then back at me, "Oh I don't know. I thought Aya was up stairs with you."

"Well she was. She showed me where everything was in the bathroom and how to work the shower and I haven't seen her since and I haven't seen your mom since we got here."

He looked a little puzzled and shrugged his shoulders at whatever it was he was thinking.

"Huh, I don't know Gabrielle. I really wasn't paying any attention."

"Oh." I said in a sad little way, that I wanted to kick myself for.

"Are you ready to head back? I can take you if you want."

I could feel my eyes light up and a smile trying to show with them, put I fought it off. I didn't want to make this anymore difficult for myself than it really needed to be. I looked around again, making sure I didn't miss anything and looked back at him.

"Yeah, actually I am. I'm sorry you have to take me." I quickly apologized.

"Hey it's cool. I don't mind. Mom and Aya probably fell asleep it is pretty late."

"It is? What time is it?" I asked wondering how long I was really in the shower.

"It's after ten."

I stared at him, a little shocked about the time. It was actually later than I thought, after all the times I thought it was when it truly wasn't. Now the one time I think it's still pretty earlier it's not. So weird how a day like today, could totally mess with you.

"Gabrielle? Are you okay?" I suddenly heard him asking, I looked over to see him standing up looking at me a little weird.

"Oh yeah, I was just thinking about how late it was, I didn't think it was." I tried to explain.

Keitaro just stared for a moment, and then that smile broke across his face as he snickered at my explanation. I was glad to see that he was in a better mood now compared to what he was last time I seen him. Without thinking about anything else or saying anything, I headed for the door. I waited for Keitaro to step out the front door and lead the way to his car. Feeling that it may be a little rude to get in before him, I followed right behind, and made my way to the passenger side. It didn't take long for us both to be in the Hummer and in our seats. I tried so hard to distract myself from looking at him, as he started the engine and started backing down the driveway again. I could feel his hand on my seat as he looked behind him, I just kept telling myself no Gabrielle in the back of my head. It was just seconds and we were going down the road again. The silence in the vehicle was so unbearable, I just wanted to scream, but I knew it would only be for a few more seconds. Keitaro started slowing down about a foot from the driveway, I suddenly here the sound of the turn signal clicking in my ear. He followed the driveway around and stops in the same spot that the Hummer was in earlier. I was puzzled at first when he cut the engine but then it hit me, Botan was still at the house. I totally had forgotten about him staying behind to help my parents finish up a few things.

I reached down for my bag between my feet on the floor. Running my hand along the door trying to find the handle in the dark, I wasn't quite sure where exactly it was. Then I heard a sigh that made me glance over from where I was trying to avoid looking. My eye went straight to Keitaro still sitting in the driver seat staring out the windshield, with that look I seen earlier written all over his face. The look that something was bothering him, I wasn't sure if I should say anything or ask him if he was okay. More than likely he didn't want to talk about it; most guys don't like talking about their feelings. But for some reason I felt that I needed to say something. With all the hesitation I was going through, he looked over at me. He's big dark blue eyes were filled with sadness. I just wanted to look away but couldn't. Finally out of nowhere, I heard him whisper, "Hey Gabrielle, you got second?"

"Hmm… yeah Keitaro, yeah I have a second. What's up?" I suddenly blurted out not really thinking about what I was going to say.

I was lost at first, when I watched him get out of the Hummer and walked around to my side. He pulled the door open for me, which was something I was not excepting. I slide out of my seat, taking a step away while he closed the door softly and looked back over at me. We started walking, at a really slow pace. I could feel my heart ready to explode out of my chest from all the energy that was following through me at the present time. So much was running through my head, I wasn't sure what to expect. Finally I told myself to be prepared for anything, cause only God himself only know what was about to happen.

"You know you can call me Kei, you don't have to call me by my full name, if you don't want too." He finally spoke, trying to break the ice.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It's just I like the way it sounds!" I replied, as I was yelling at myself in my head wanting to put my hands around my throat and straggle myself for what I just let slip out.

"Oh really, well that's cool! I don't mind!" he laughed, as if he was shock to hear my reasoning.

I could feel my face getting hot from the sudden sound of his laugh.

"So what is it that you had on your mind?"

He laughed again, but this times more of an embarrassing one. Turning to look at him, he was looking up at the house, and trying to keep pace with me the whole time. I heard him take a couple of deep breaths, and then on the last one, he started to say, "Listen Gabrielle I….. I….. I just wanted to apology for earlier."

I stopped right in my tracks, and looked at him puzzled, what he sorry was for he didn't do anything! Guessing the look on my face said it all to him as he looked over and seen in the moonlight.

"Mainly for Michiko, she's not a very friendly person."

"Keitaro, you don't have to apology for that. You don't have to apology on her behalf that's not right."

"I know I don't, but I want too. She shouldn't have been like that well specially towards you. If she was mad at me, she should have just took it out on me and not of been rude to you."

_Hold on, so I was right earlier, she was mad at him cause of me. _

When the sudden thought ran through my mind, it sent a jolt of angry throughout my whole body. Every part of me was shaking. I couldn't believe it. This girl doesn't know me from Adam, and she want to get all mad because I'm in the same room as her boyfriend.

"I just don't want you to feel responsible for anything that happened today, that's all. This was all on me, not you. I hope this doesn't mess anything up between us, you know like a future friendship." He quickly said this time; I'm guessing he wanted to get it all out, before I could say what I really wanted to say.

When I heard what he just said, I felt a little embarrassed because it was pretty clear he seen me looking out the window earlier when Michiko and him were fighting in the driveway of his home. But I couldn't help but to still feel pissed off about everything. I couldn't believe he thought that a little thing like that was going to mess up our friendship, our future friendship as he put it. I could tell by his face he was serious, as he stood right there in front of me looking right me, just waiting for me to give him a piece of my mind. Before I spoke, I stood there thinking about what I was going to say and how I was going to say it. I didn't want to sound mean or make it sound like I was mad at him, because I wasn't. I forced myself to take a long deep breath in and hold it for a few seconds, until my body stopped trembling all over. I closed my eyes and released it slowly as I lift my face up to the sky.

"Listen Keitaro, I'm the only who is sorry. I didn't know that your girlfriend was going to get all upset about me being there. I'm sorry if she gave you a hard time over me, I'm not mad at you or anything. I'm just upset with her. I'm upset that she would think that way of me without even knowing me. I just………. I just don't even know what else to say really….Well I guess I could say that it's not going to affect our "future" friendship. There's no reason for it too. I just hope that next time; she will be a little more understanding and not jump to conclusions before she gets her facts."

He stood there still staring straight me, taking in everything I said. A small smile came across his face, as if he was happy that I understood and accepted what he had said. I couldn't help but to feel relieved myself.

"Well I'm glad to hear that Gabrielle. I was a little worried that this would also affect my sister's and yours friendship. You two seem to hit it off today, and I don't want to ruin that for either of you."

I smiled back, and shook my head. I didn't want to say anything else at the moment. I just wanted to leave on a good note tonight. We stood there for a few more seconds, just staring at each other. Neither of us speaking, it was like we were both lost in each other's eyes. Suddenly the sound of a door opening and laughter came out of nowhere. We both turned and looked up at the house, to see the front door open, and Botan and Charles walking out the door chit chatting about something that was funny to them.

I wasn't ready to go in at the moment, I wanted so bad to stand out there with Keitaro for a little longer. Something about being around him made everything else seem pointless at the moment. Fighting back the pleasant thought of the moment, I start for the house. Keitaro kept where he was when we first stopped to have our little talk. I wanted to turn around to look at him; I needed a reason to so it would look so odd. Then it hit me the reason I would use.

"Oh yeah, Thanks Keitaro for bringing me home. I'm sorry……"

Before I could finish my sentence, he replied back, "Oh I don't mind. Don't worry about it. You're welcome Gabrielle."

I couldn't help but to smile at him, then quickly turned away from him, and headed up the yard to the steps. For some reason I could feel him watching me, my every move. I slowly made my way up the steps, to meet Botan and Charles at the top from where they came out of the house. Botan told my father good night and looked at me and wished me a good night. Charles asked what happened to Aya and Suki, and I reinsured him that they had falling asleep while I was showering, so Keitaro brought me home. Charles looked down the yard at Keitaro and shouted to him, thanking him for all his help today and for also bringing me back. When Keitaro went to reply back to my father, I quickly used it to my advanced and turned to look at him one more time for the night. We stood there and watched Botan go down the steps and head over to his son. Charles turned and headed back in, as Keitaro and Botan turned their backs and made their way to the Hummer. I couldn't help myself; I just had to watch him walk away. Botan walked ahead of Keitaro, and was getting into the Hummer. I wasn't sure why Keitaro was walking so slow for. I looked up at the sky one last time before I turned around and made my way into the house to join my parents. I sighed as I seen the moon up in the sky so bright and bold. I brought my face back down, and went to turn around to walk away from the night, but something told me to look again. Looking back at him again, I caught Keitaro looking back up at me from the yard in front of the Hummer. For some odd reason, I could feel a smile break across my face, and my hand in the air waving to him. He smiled and throws his hand up then back down quickly, then made his way to the driver side of his vehicle. I sighed out loud when I heard the Hummer's engine come to live and started down the driveway. Once the Hummer was out of sight, I turned and walked into the house, and made my way up to room.

**May 2, 2008**

**Today end up being a very interesting day! I really don't know where to begin, maybe from the beginning where I left off from early. So let's see……. Oh yeah now I remember. Things didn't turn out so good at the beginning, as soon as I put you down earlier I started to feel weird. At first I thought it was my leg that had falling asleep but it was something else. Honestly I think it was a warning sign at first from you know the house. But N*E*WAYS! So after that, and landing face first on the ground as soon as I out of the truck, I got into it pretty bad with my mom and dad. It was bad. I felt bad afterwards, but I was just so upset and with that weird feeling, I just didn't know what to make of anything. Needless to say, Dad was mad at me, and Mom was hurt. So I was sent to the house to figure out what I want for a room. **

** Well the house is absolutely amazing for the most part. I was stunned when I first walked up the porch and then the front door. I only made it to the front room, and it was beautiful. Oh yeah, the whole thing about only making it to the first room, well that's sort of long story too. But I'll give you the short version of it:**

** Okay so when I was in the front room, I swear to God there was something or someone in the room with me. It was really scaring at first. Well I tried to act as if I wasn't at first, and it did work at first when I took a second look around the room. But then all the sudden when I looked back at the mirror, there were these big green eyes like mine staring right back me, but they weren't mine, they weren't even looking at me through the mirror. It was like they were floating in the air. Well I guess from what I seen I guess it scared me so bad, that I fainted. But I really don't remember it like that, but I guess that's what happens. But the strange thing was when I felt like I was falling, even though I really wasn't! Something helped me to the ground. I could feel something holing me, like it was hugging me then I heard a voice tell me that everything was okay and to close my eyes. So I guess I was out for a little bit cause the next thing I know, here comes my parents and some other people into the house. It was sort embarrassing at the moment the way things were, but they end up turning out better than I ever thought. **

** The Danno's, who were the other people with my parents, are a lovely Japanese-American family who live right down the road. Botan and Suki, seem like great people, and from what I can tell I'm going to like them specially Suki. They get along with my parents so good so far. Then they have two kids, Aya, who is their daughter, she's a little older than me. It was so amazing; we hit it off so well. Well expect for the whole thing with her brother but that's another story for another time. Oh yeah she's into dance! It's that great? You know how that subject always goes for me before but this time it's different! I really do believe that Aya and I will become really good friends, probably better friends than Ariel and I are. **

**And then there is Keitaro, the Danno's son. Keitaro……… wow me really don't how to put it about him. He's just……just………… wow. He's unbelievable hot! He has this smile that just……… oh and his dark blue eyes they are like…………. God words just can't even describe them! **

**It's so hard to believe that I was actually tongue-tied to talk to him! You know Ms. I'll talk to anyone, no matter who they are. I could barely breathe around him! I don't know what it is about him, but he throws me off balance in some many ways. Hopefully I'll get over it soon, it's just probably the first time thing, you know with meeting him and him being cute and all. **

**Oh did I mention he has a little crazy-ass albino Japanese girlfriend. Okay maybe the way I just described her was wrong, but it's the truth so far from what I can tell. Her name is Michiko and its pretty clear she doesn't like me one bit! But I'm not worried about it, she'll be okay! **

**Wow, there's just some much more I really would like to tell you, but I really need to get to bed, I know it has to be close to midnight now. Plus I need to brush…………. OH CRAP MY HAIR! Oh, God this is going to be horrible!!! **

**-Gabby**

Closing the pages of my diary and tossing over on top of box that was close to the bed. I made my way to the box that had all my bathroom stuff in it earlier, and started digging for the hairbrush I thought I grabbed earlier. After dumping half the box to the floor, I finally found the black handle of the brush poking out from underneath some other stuff. Quickly grabbing it, I stood up and walked back over to the bed, and tossed it to the bed. It took a minute for me to get the hair tie out of my hair, and then the curls went. Finally after the losing battle with my hair, I picked up my brush and tried to save what I could of the unknotted hair. It seems to take hours to get all the knots and tangles out of my hair, and from all the work I was putting into it, I knew I would pass out soon as I hit the pillow. I swear I could kick myself for forgetting the brush in the first place. After a couple more times taking the brush through the hair, and having nothing tugging or pulling as the brush went down, I quickly throw my hair back and ran the brush through it one more time. Placing the brush on the bed, I separated the hair again but instead of two sections, there was another section added. Quickly braiding it down until the hair was too short to do anything with, I pulled the hair tie from my wrist and wrapped it around the end of the hair. Tossing the braid back, I walked over and hit the light switch on the wall by the door. Waiting a second for my eyes to focus to the new light, this was now in my room from the evening moon. I tried to do my best to get back over to the bed, for the simple fact I really just didn't feel like tripping over the box that were in the floor. Once over to the bed, I crawled up in it, throwing the covers over me and curled up into a little ball. A sudden sharp pain went shooting through my leg. I straighten up and stretch my legs out.

THUMP

Jumping under the covers, by the sudden sound I heard. It was so close. I lifted up and looked around. Everything seemed to be in place but it was still hard to tell with it being dark out and the only light was the moonlight shining in from the window. I peeked over the bed, to see if I could see anything. Then I realized that it was my hairbrush that had fallen from the bed when I stretched out. God, I felt so stupid at the moment. Lying back down on the bed this time on my back, pulling the cover up over my entire body with only my head showing, I looked up at the ceilings and felt my eye become very heavy. I didn't fight the urge; I just let them close very, very, very, very slowly.

As soon as my eyes shut, I saw them again. There they were, those bright emerald green eyes staring right at me again. I open my eyes up to see I was still where I was when I closed my eyes.

So much for sleep.....

Chapter 7

Visitor

Almost two weeks since we moved into the new place, must have been in the middle of last week, when everything seemed to fall into place cause all the madness seemed to stop. Everything except for my sleep schedule which I'm still fighting with. Ever since that first night, when I tried to close my eyes to sleep and seen those eyes stare right back at me; it's been all downhill. Nothing else has happen since we been in the house except for the eyes at night. I've been beating myself batty trying to get over it. But for some reason my mind will not let it go. My parents have been in the best moods ever since we got here. No complaining, no arguing, no disagreeing, nothing. It's like we all see eye to eye now, which is totally weird! I think if it wasn't for Botan and Suki, a lot of this would be stressing them out more. The day after we got here, Botan offered to take my parents to where ever they needed. That way they could get a basic idea where everything was since it had been years that my parents had been here. Suki came down to the house whenever she got off work and helped clean and set things up with Inez. I was totally grateful for Aya, even after what all she pulled, I could totally forgive her for it now. Every day, Aya has been down helping me with whatever it is that I need, whether were cleaning something or just sitting around talking. She was there.

The first couple of days, Aya and I worked on my bed room and bathroom. Scrubbing everything down, sweeping, mopping, and whatever else at the moment came up. We were going to started setting everything up in the bathroom first, but my parents asked me to hold off for a couple of days cause they wanted to let me pick out some paint, window curtains, shower curtain, and other things for the bathroom first. Pretty much after my parents made that suggestion, I pretty much left my stuff in boxes and just moved them outside in the hallway beside my door, because I knew before too long they were going to do the same with my room as they wanted to do with my bathroom. The time went by very fast for those couple of days. But after the fifth day, everything seemed pretty slow. I was getting bored quickly!

There was a room down stairs towards the back of the house that I haven't went and checked out yet. Finally decide to go see it, I found it to be a very large room with the back half of it covered with windows reminding me of a sun room. I was completely shocked when my parents offered to let me have it for my dance room. It was just the right size for what I needed. Now I didn't have to worry about not having enough room to work on certain moves or worry about breaking anything important to my parents. The dance room ended up being the first project for my parents. With the help of the Danno's and me, we were able to get the room done in a day. Aya and I worked on cleaning the glass, while Suki and Inez painted what little needed to be painted. Charles and Botan worked together on installing a full length mirrors on the wall with my new ballet bar in the middle. I figured it may have been a good learning experience for Botan, since he didn't really know what was going on. After everything was said and done, Aya and I sat in the room for awhile just staring around and talking about different things. I was so ready to use my new "dance" room, which was going to be the following day, because I wasn't able to go to the dance studio for a week due to a remodel they were doing in the building.

The rest of the rooms went pretty much the same way. Soon before I knew it my bathroom was done right along with my room. For the other room, that I asked to be my new closet, well I had to wait on that. There was still a lot of stuff left in there from the people before and needed more work than the other two rooms. Just kind of funny how some room can be good enough to go on and live in them when others weren't in such great shapes.

I seen Keitaro off and on during the two weeks, he comes down every day for a little while to hang out with Aya and me. At first it was very difficult for me, but somehow it got easier like nothing ever happened. The three of us got along so well and had a blast. By the end of the second week, my parents invited everyone over including Keitaro's and Aya's friends, even Michiko. Everyone showed up except for her, but that was fine by me.

*

God it's getting so boring, I wish Aya would hurry up and get here, before I lose my mind. For the first time in two weeks, I was ready to go out and have some fun. My parents completely agreed with me, and for once didn't give me a curfew! Tell me something funny isn't going on now! It was the second Friday, I was going to be here in this little town, and I wanted to explore. Aya and the gang were going to take me to a few different places without any parental units being there. I was ecstatic; I wanted to leave right away, as soon as I dragged my lazy ass out of the bed. I wasn't sure how well I was going to do, considering I still haven't been able to sleep. I think I may have been getting at least four or five hours, nothing like my good old ten hours that I missed so much at the moment. The last time I looked at the clock it was only eleven thirty in the morning. I had been awake for two hours, and was going crazy. It wasn't like Aya to keep me waiting like this, usually she was at the door right at eleven, no questions asked. But for some reason she was off, actually everything seemed off, but then again it could be due to lack of sleep.

Fighting the urge to pick up my cell phone that my parents had bought the day they were out with Botan, and call her to ask her did she know what time it was, instead I convinced myself to go upstairs and take a shower. Dragging my feet up the stairs, I still couldn't believe how tired I was. I knew I could just easily lay right down where I was and pass out. But I doubt my parents would have liked that, probably think I fell again. Slowly making my way back to my room, I made my way over to my big mahogany dresser, and started pulling clothes out. After about five minutes of staring at everything I pulled out, I just decide to wear a pair of jean with the one hole in the right knee, a white tee shirt, and my favorite green hoodie. I grabbed the pair of white and green flip flops out of the box that was beside the door when I went to walk out the room to the bathroom.

I must have fallen asleep in the shower, cause the last thing I knew was the water was as hot as it could get and then all the sudden it was cold as hell! So much for relaxing..... After the somewhat of a shower I had taken and finished getting dress. I only took a minute to do something with my hair. At this point I just didn't care anymore. I watched as the curls went right back into place after I ran the brush through them. It quickly got on my nerves, so I just throw it up into a quick ponytail at the top of my head. Quickly annoyed with everything all the sudden, I throw the brush down on the counter, and stormed out of the bathroom heading towards the bedroom. It was time to make a call. I walked in the room straight for my night stand where my cell sat. Grabbing the cell from the table and unplugged the charger from it. I glanced at the phone to see that the time was only twelve thirty. I flipped the phone opened and seen I haven't missed any calls or texts. For a minute, I almost thought about not calling Aya, but I was so bored that if I didn't do something soon, I was going to pass out for sure, and I wasn't going to wake up for anyone or anything. Maybe that's what I need; maybe I just needed to sleep. We could always go out tomorrow instead. For a minute the idea almost worked, but I refused to let a little lack of sleep stop me from doing anything. Searching through the address book in my phone for Aya's number, right when my finger was about to push the talk button. I heard a sudden knock on the front door. Feeling relieved to hear the knock. Aya was here, and it meant time to go. I throw my cell phone in the pocket of my hoodie, looked around a moment for my purse and realized it was down stairs on the table by the door.

Stepping outside my bedroom door, I could hear Dad talking to someone. He must have answered the door. I ran down the steps not caring if I fell for my death. By the time Charles turned around to call up stairs, I hit the bottom step. He stumbled for a minute when he seen me at first then smiled, "You have a visitor, Gabby"

"I know Dad, its Aya! Remember were all going out today?" I rushed out, hoping he didn't forget.

He looked at me a little puzzled at first then replied, "Oh yeah that's right, I remember now. But it's not Aya at the door."

"It's not?"

"Nope!" he smiled, as he seen the look on my face.

If it's not Aya then who is it? Maybe it's Rainy. He's probably just messing with me anyways. Not thinking about it anymore. I made my way to the front door, and pulled it open to see who it was that was here for me.

"Michiko?"

I choked when I seen the pale white figure standing outside my front door. Michiko looked me over, bringing her eyes up to mine. She smiled pleasantly, like she was glad to see me. For a moment I was stiff, I couldn't move, breath, even think. I was too shocked! She giggled, guessing from my reaction of see her. I stepped out onto the porch and closed the door slowly behind me. My eyes were still locked with hers in the whole process not wanting to miss a thing she did. Once the door was closed, I heard her clear her throat as if she was getting ready to speak.

"Hello Gabrielle. I know this is a little unexpected," she started off, "but I was wondering if you had a minute, so that you and I could speak."

She spoke very clearing and confidence, but it was hard to believe that the voice didn't seem to fit. It was like I was talking to a little girl. Her voice was so soft and fragile sounding. Still speechless, I didn't know what to say. I was just blown away that she actually knew my name let alone that she was speaking to me. I shook my head at her, and she smiled towards the answer.

"Well first off, I wanted to apologize about the other day at Kei's house. That was very rude of me. I was just really upset at the moment and didn't want to come off as something I'm not."

She's apology for the other day, which was like almost two weeks ago, and she's just now saying sorry. What the hell? She was standing there waiting for me to say something, but what was I suppose to say, yeah okay.

"Hmm….. Well Michiko, it's……. cool. I understand and thank you for your apology." I tried to say without sounding negative.

I was hoping that was the end of what she needed, hoping to wake up and be still in my bed. This was all a dream right? I watched as the smile faded on Michiko's face. She looked as if she had more to say.

"So is that all you wanted, Michiko or is there something else?" I asked out of curiosity now, something about her look didn't settle with me.

"Well now that you mention it, there is something else."

Right there as soon as she spoke, Keitaro's face popped into my head. The hurt look on his face, the same one he had that first night. At that moment, with his face and the thought of that day, the way she looked at me, the fire in her eyes, I felt a sudden rush of angry taken over me again.

"You see, Gabrielle. Ken asked me to speak to you for him and I figured since I was going to be down here for that…. that I would also make a mends with you before it's was too late."

_What did Ken have anything to do with this? _

Even though she explains her main reason for stopping by to talk to me, it still didn't make me any less angry with her like I was. For some reason I felt so out of control, my body trembling, I just wanted to attack, but it was like something or someone was holding me back from doing it. She looked away very quickly down by her car and my eyes quickly followed, to my surprise she was driving a new dark red almost the color of blood Eclipse with dark tinted windows. It appeared to have some work done to it, sort of like the Ken's Civic. She sighed softly then looked back at me, with a smile on her face. It was pretty obvious this was just as hard for her as it was for me.

"So what did Ken want you to talk to me about?" I asked, needing something to distract me from the unpleasant visions in my head of me tearing into her.

"I know its a little funny and all. But Ken is a little shy when it comes to girls that he's interested in."

_Ken was interested in me? _

I suddenly heard a loud girlish laugh come from Michiko's little body; I'm guessing the look on my face was priceless once again.

"Well you probably know that Ken and I are cousins, but we are very close. He's more like a brother. Anyway, ever since the first day he saw you, he hasn't shut up about you!" she giggled

_Ken… Michiko…… Cousins.... Ken…… Interested…… In....Me.... Michiko………. Speaking……….. On…….. Behalf…… of ………… Ken?_

This was a dream it had to be, and it had to be a really bad dream. I wrapped my arms around my chest, and pinched my right arm thinking it would wake me up.

_Ouch. _

Well it was clear as day, I wasn't asleep and that this was real!

"I told Ken to talk to you, but he's too nervous to. So he asked me if I would help and break the ice for him. I know it's sudden but I can't stand watching him, driving himself crazy over this."

"Oh…. Well thank you Michiko……. For the information but you even said it yourself, it is sudden. I mean we just met and I really don't know him and he doesn't know me….."

"Oh don't worry Gabrielle, it's not like anyone is expecting you two to run off and get married right away or anything. Just give him a chance, okay?"

"We'll see…….. Hold on, how come he just didn't have Aya talk to me? I mean she has been down here every single day that would have saved you the trouble of coming down here and all."

"I guess you don't know!"

"Know what?"

"There's a little history there between those two. So it probably wouldn't have been a good idea!" She hissed out, as if the thought of those two was out of the question.

Here I was again, trying to figure everything out since nothing was making any sense. Everything she was saying was all jumbled up together. I couldn't make everything go together in my head. There was so much to think about, I need someone to talk to, I need Aya….. But was I going to be able to talk to her about this?

"Well I think my work is done. I did my good deed for the day. Oh can you do me two things?" she asked softly, as she turned and headed for the steps.

"Yeah....sure...." I answered back wondering what else was going to come out of her mouth.

"First one, please don't tell Ken that I was down here talking to you about this. Sort of make it seem like, this talk never happen or else it will just make himself even more crazy and bother me more about it cause he'll want to know everything that was said!"

"So what's the second thing?"

"Second don't say anything to Aya, I wouldn't want her to be upset with anyone over something no one can help, plus it would make things hard between Kei and me."

When she spoke Keitaro's name, it was like I came back to reality suddenly. I stared at her; she was facing me now, looking to see if I agreed on her terms. I shook my head. She smiled back, and softly waved good-bye. I watched as she made her way down the steps and through the yard to her car. Once at her car, I threw my hands in my pocket, pulled my phone out to see it was almost one. I heard her car start and watched as she made her way out of the drive way. Excepting her to make a left, but instead she turned right. To my surprise, I quickly went into the house, yelling for my dad. Once I seen he's face, I asked him to give me a ride down to Aya's, then told him that I would walk but it was getting ready to rain, and I didn't want to get caught in it. Without any questions, Charles yelled back to Inez saying he would be right back, and we headed out the door. Once in the truck, the rain had started. I heard my dad laugh, guessing he was shocked that I was right. I didn't look to see if he was looking at me, all I could think of was what I was going to say to Aya as I stared out the windshield and watched the rain coming down. I had to tell her that Michiko came down, but as soon as I do she's going to want to know why. Do I tell her the truth or lie? God why was it so hard to make these decisions. Within seconds, Charles was pulling into the Danno's driveway. I must have been really into my thoughts, because I didn't even remember leaving the driveway. I leaned over, kissing my father on the cheek and thanking him. I tossed my hood up, and hopped out of the Tahoe and made my run for the door. By the time I got to the door, I was almost soaked, the rain had picked up rather quickly. I looked back and waved my dad on. Watching as he left, then glanced over the driveway to see that everyone cars were here. Tossing my hood down, as I turned back to the door quickly knocking. Within seconds, Suki had answered the door.

"Hello, Mrs. Dan….. I mean Suki, is Aya home?" I asked trying to stay calm about everything.

"Of course she is, Gabrielle. Please come in and get out of that nasty weather."

I stepped into the house, and wiped my feet. Suki closed the door behind me. I turned and smiled, "Thank you, Suki."

She smiled back, and then turned to make her way back to whatever it was she was doing. From what I could tell it appeared she was making her way back to the kitchen through the dining room, I waited for Suki to be out of sight before I made my run for it. I didn't want to her to suspect anything and start asking questions. Once Suki was out of the sight, I made my way over to the stairs. Walking past the living room, I looked in to see no one was in there. It seemed awfully quite in the house, except for the rhythm of rain hitting the roof. Hitting the steps two at the time, until I finally made it to the top. I walked past the bathroom, over towards the last door on the right side of the hallway. Looking around at the other rooms, but was unable to tell if anyone was in them or not. Finally I was at the door, placing my right hand on the knob, and preparing to knock with the left hand, there was the sound of mumbling at first coming from the room that made me freeze in place. I waited a moment to see if I could make out who it was in there talking with Aya, but the voice never got any louder than what it was and made it hard for me to make anything out they were saying. Telling myself to go on and knock, I did as I was told and waited for an answer.

"Come in."

I opened slowly the white door that lead into the soft pink bedroom, stepping in to see two smiling faces looking back me.

"Hey Gab, what's up?"

I tried to say without sounding overly excited about anything.

"Gab, are you okay? Other than the fact your soaked, you look like you seen a ghost, your white as hell!" Aya laughed from the small corner of her bedroom, where she sat in front of her computer desk.

Both Keitaro and Aya were looking at me, both with wide eyes, with smiles aside now. They both were waiting for me to talk; they wanted to know what was going on with me.

"No actually I'm not. I… need to talk to you Aya, it's important." Everything came rushing out of my mouth before I could honestly decide on what I really wanted to say.

Aya looked up at Keitaro who was leaning against the side of desk. Keitaro shook his head, and made his way towards me. I watched as he got close, seeing his eyes on me the whole time he came over my way. Trying to step out of his way as he got closer to the door; he grabbed the door knob and started pulling the door shut behind him. About half way closed, he stopped and turned to look back in and said, "Oh yeah, were heading out in an hour you two, don't forget!"

Aya smiled and nodded her head. Keitaro finished closing the door, and I could hear his footsteps walking away from the door. Knowing that it was just Aya and me in the room now made me so nervous, I was sort of at a war with myself trying to figure out do I tell her everything or not. I didn't have to look to see Aya's eyes shooting right into me. I sighed, walked over to her bed to climbing up in to it. Aya throw a towel up on the bed, guess from her hair being it in after a shower, while kicking my flip flops off. Once on the bed, I brought my knees to my face and tried not to look at Aya straight in the face but I could feel her eyes on me the whole time just waiting for me to tell her what was bothering me.

"Okay, before I tell you anything, you have to promise that you will listen and not say a word. You need to hear everything, do you understand?" I quickly asked, praying that this was going to go better than I hoped.

She shook her head.

"Okay," I quickly sighed again, "So I was getting ready for today and was about to call you to see where you were, cause you weren't at the house yet. Well someone was at the house and I thought it was you, but it wasn't."

I paused not able to bring myself to tell her who it was. My pulse started to race, the sudden chill running down my back. My mind replayed the situation over and over again but I still couldn't do it.

"Who was it?" she asked quietly leaning in her chair, looking at me with her big dark eyes.

"Michiko."

I stopped for a second and stared at Aya, she didn't say a word just stared more intense at me with a confused look. With her staring and waiting for me to go on I used this opportunity to take a big breath and get this all over with.

"So it was Michiko. She came down to the house to talk to me about a few things. Well first, she apologized for the first day I was here, what all went down here at your house. She said that she was upset and didn't want to say anything out of the way to me because of it. "

Now it was time to tell her the part about Kentra. There was a lump in my throat and I couldn't swallow it. Aya stared at me at first with confusion wondering if that was all I had to say.

"Is that it Gab? Is that all that she said?" Aya whispered.

I shook my head no. I had to tell her the rest but I couldn't get the lump out of my throat. My throat was so dry that I could feel it cracking with every breath I took.

"No, there is more. She also said she was down there for Kentra also." I grasped out, do to all the dryness in my throat.

As soon as I said the name, her eyes went wild.

"Michiko said she was coming down to speak to me on behalf of Ken. She said that Ken has been talking about me and asked her to come and talk to me for him, sort of break the ice. But I told her that this all was too sudden, and that I didn't even know him or anything, and I asked her why Ken didn't talk to you about me, and that's when she told me that….. That there was some history between you two…..I…. I'm so sorry Aya. I didn't know! I had no idea. Don't worry; nothing will ever happen between the two of us."

Comfort came over me once I got the last part out in the open. I felt better getting everything off my chest, but I also felt awful for what I just told Aya. The lump was gone now and the dry cracking feeling in my throat disappeared also. I looked at her, just waiting to see how she absorbed everything that I just went on about. Using the moment to my advantage again to calm myself down, I watched as she just sat there looking at me, hoping that I didn't upset her to much, but then the look on her face suddenly changed; she quickly dropped her head into her hands. I wanted to go over to her. But I wasn't sure if it was a good idea. I watched as she lifted her head up and stared up at her ceiling. She wiped her eyes, it was then that I knew she was truly upset, she was crying. Seeing her hurt, seeing her cry started bringing the water works out on me. She looked back down at me and smiled.

"I'm sorry!" she giggled as she wiped her eyes again.

"You have nothing to be sorry about!" I reinsured her.

"I had a feeling this was going to happen. I should have told you about Ken and me before. Well I guess the cat's out of the bag now." She lightly giggled again, trying so hard not to shed anymore tears.

"No, no. Aya, its okay..... You don't have to tell me everything about you. I'm the one who is sorry."

She shook her head, as if she didn't believe me. Her hands over her face hiding whatever it was she didn't want me to see, which I knew were her tears. Suddenly she jumped up heading for the door, her hands pulled away from her face, and the tears were flowing down her face. Grabbing the knob turning it to get out of the room, she looked back at me and said, "I'll be right back."

I sat still on the bed looking out the door after Aya. I wanted to go after her, but I knew that it wasn't such a good idea at the moment. She made her way to the bathroom that was diagonal from her room. Right before she went inside, I heard a voice talking to her.

"Aya are you okay?"

She stopped at the door, looking over towards the stair I was guessing, since they weren't in view from her door.

"Aya, what's wrong? Are you okay?" the voice shouted again, along with the sounds of footsteps coming up the stairs.

Aya didn't say anything; she just looked down at whoever it was and rushed into the room. She slammed the door closed. The next thing I seen was Keitaro flying up the steps and at the bathroom door, messing with the handle. He gave up after a couple of tries. She must have locked it. Keitaro turned and looked right my way in the bedroom. He's eyes were wide and mad, the blue was gone, they seemed to be black. He made his way to the bedroom, not taking his eyes off me once. For a minute I figured this was it, I was going to get what was coming for me. Watching him step into the room still just staring at me, I felt my stomach flip at the site I was seeing. The expression on his face was awful; I just want to hide from it. He stared at me for a minute without saying a word. Then suddenly he expression shifted, he looked more mad now than he did just a second ago. I wasn't sure why, I wasn't even sure what he saw in my face. Maybe fear, maybe hurt, maybe sadness, I wasn't sure but whatever it was I was about to find out. He lifted his hand over his head, balled up in fist with his hair in them. He quickly stretched his fingers out at the same time he took a breath then he dropped his arms down. He's eyes still focused on mine. I wanted to look away; I wanted Aya to come back.

But it was too late.

"What's wrong with Aya?" he asked in a low angry voice as if he was trying to keep his cool.

I couldn't answer; I didn't know how to tell him. He stared at me again for a moment.

"Is it about Ken?" he suddenly asked.

I didn't have to say a thing. The look on my face was enough for him to know the answer to his question. Keitaro turned slowly and sighed. Place his hands on the back of his head; he started to snicker at the whole thing as he looked away. I quickly turned my head once his eyes left mine, looking back over where Aya was sitting before everything went down.

"Damn it Kentra!"

Sitting there looking straight ahead, wondering what Keitaro was thinking along with wondering why he laughed when he did. But my thought was cut short when a large thump came out of nowhere from behind me scaring me to death cause me to jump off the bed. Tumbling several times from shaking I did my best to keep my balance and once I was finally able to stand without trembling from the sound I heard I slowed turned to see Keitaro leaning against the door frame; right next the hole that in the wall. Keitaro had thrown his fist through the wall of Aya's bedroom. Listening to him breath heavily and shaking. I was thinking about going over to him, but I figured I might be the next thing that his fist would go through, if I did, I wanted to leave the room, but was still unable to move completely from Keitaro's little episode. Watching as the shaking stopped along with his breathing going back to normal. He turned back at me; his eyes seemed have the blue back in them.

"I'm so sorry Gab! I shouldn't have done it. I'm sorry if I scared you…. I was just"

"It's okay Keitaro, you don't have to explain." I was finally able to choke out.

We stood there for a moment both silent and looking away from each other.

"Gab, what's going on? Why is Aya upset about Ken for?" he asked me in almost a whisper

I turned looking at him for a moment then looked out the door, debating if I should tell him or not. But right before, I could say a word, Aya walked into the room. The tears had stop, but her eyes were puffy. She smiled at me, and then looked up at her brother.

"It's okay Kei. I'm sorry." She whispered to him.

Keitaro looked lost for a minute, but then shook his head towards her, and looked out the door.

"I'm going to call Ken and tell him that he's not coming tonight."

"No, Kei! Its okay, I promise. I just over reacted to something Gab told me that's all. I promise it's all good." She started begging as she grabbed Keitaro's arm before he could walk out the door.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yes!"

"Alright then, I guess I'll see you two down stairs in a little bit."

Aya let go of his arm, as he started out the door. My stomach seemed to settle finally once Keitaro was out of the room and I seen that Aya wasn't crying anymore. Aya closed the door and stood against almost like she was on guard.

"Gab, I'm sorry about that. I'm sorry about all of this. Especially sorry that Michiko has put you in the situation your now in." she sighed, as she stepped over to the bed and sat down.

"Aya, I hate to say it. But I'm just a little lost here." I said because honestly I was lost due to what she said.

"I just knew she would do something to cause problems. I'm just so shocked that she went this low. Even though I really shouldn't be that surprised by her. If it wasn't for her then maybe Ken and mine relationship would still going on but no she had to butt in."

Aya was still upset about everything. She tried so hard not to let the tears show. I could feel my stomach twist in knots again as I looked at her. I felt so awful for all of this. I never meant to cause her any pain.

"Aya, you have my word. Nothing will ever go on between Kentra and me."

"I know Gab, you won't, but Michiko going to push you until you give in. It's like she has this… this some kind of power to make people do what she wants. Well except for me for some reason. First Kei, then Ken, and now she's after you. Is she ever going to stop?"

I watched as the angry grew within Aya, she wasn't sad anymore; she was more pissed then anything. Aya jumped off the bed and over to her little vanity that sat in front of window that was looking out at the right side of the house. She ran her hand over her face. She reached over to a little pack of some sort of wipes, ran it along her face. Tossing the wipe away, Aya quickly rested and pours a little bit of lotion into her hand. She rubbed her two hands together and then moved them to her face. She rubbed the substances over her entire face, down her neck, and then brought her hands back down and rubbed them together. She grabbed her hair brush and ran it through her hair a couple of times, and turned back to me. It was amazing. Aya looked like Aya. She didn't look as if she cried one tear. Her color was back in her face. The puffiness around her eyes was gone. I became absolutely jealous now at the site and wanted to know what it was she used to transform her look. Even though I knew she was putting on a show for me, I try to forget the whole thing all together. I wasn't going to let anything else ruin my night for me, and I sure wasn't going to ruin things for Aya either, it was the least I could with everything that just happened. Aya grabbed her jacket off her computer chair and then grabbed her purse. Then it hit me when I seen her do it, that I had totally forgotten my purse back home. She turned and looked at me, with curious eyes once again.

"Oh, I just realized I forgot my purse. I was in such a rush to get down here that I totally forgot. Do you think your brother would mind stopping by my house real quick?" I asked her, feeling a little stupid asking her.

"Kei won't mind. We better get going, before he comes back up here and puts another hole in my wall!" she laughed, as she walked over to me and nudged me to go.

*

It seem like we weren't getting anywhere anytime soon. Everything seemed to be in slow motion. The three of us were packed into the Hummer, heading down the road to wherever. I still had no clue where all we were going, but at the present moment, I really didn't care. I sat in back of Hummer, looking out the window and watched everything go by as we went past it. At first the quietness in the vehicle was nice. It gave me a chance to think about things, you know put things into prescriptive. But within minutes of driving, and no one talking and the radio was off. I found myself becoming very annoyed by it. I glanced up front every once in awhile, wondering what was going on, but it would be the same every time I would look up, Aya would be looking out her window just as I was, and Keitaro was looking straight head following the road as it came towards us. For a moment, I thought about asking where we were going, I even thought about asking who was all coming, but then I figured once Kentra's name was brought up that we would be back in the same boat we were earlier at the house and I really wasn't looking forward to Keitaro wrecking the Hummer due to him being mad at Ken again. Honestly I was still a little shock by Keitaro's reaction to the whole situation. It could have been me, he hit instead of the wall. But then again, I did deserve it. He should probably hit me, after what I did to his sister. I won't blame him if he did. I'm pretty sure I could come up with something to tell my parents about the black eye or swollen lips. No one would have ever known he hit me, well except for Aya, him, and me. I shook at the vision in my head, of Keitaro hitting me. I quickly pushed it away, not wanted to see him that way. It hurt enough already thinking about his look on his face before he hit the wall. Then I started wondering what were they thinking, was Aya still thinking about Ken and me thing? Was Keitaro thinking about what he was going to do to Ken or what he would say when he seen him? Too many questions flying through my head at once, I could feel pain behind my eyes, do to all the stress and aggressive of all this. I just wanted it all to go away. Raising my hands, up I gently placed my index and middle fingers on my temples and started massaging, hoping it would sooth the pain, seeing I could think clearly. But the pain became more intense, so powerful I had to close my eyes, and take in a deep breath.

"Gab, are you okay?"

I opened my eyes to see Aya looking back at me.

"Yeah, just have a little bit of a headache that's all." I mumbled due to the pain.

I grabbed my purse that was beside me, gratefully that Keitaro stopped by my house to let me get it. Unzipping the zipper and digging through it. After a few seconds, of almost dumping everything out of it, I realized that I had nothing for a headache. I throw my hands down on my lap with my purse and things out of my purse on my lap and sighed.

"Here, I have some Advil. Will it work?" she whispered as she started digging through her purse in the same pursuit that I was in earlier.

Her hand came back out with a small white bottle in it. She reached back and handed me the bottle. I quickly grabbed it, and started pulling the lid off.

"Yeah, it will work. Thanks!"

I counted two greenish colored gel caps in my hand. I replaced the lid back on the bottle and handed it right back to Aya. She grabbed the bottle from me, with a little causal smile on her face. Guessing she was glad to help.

"You guys wouldn't have a drink up there would you, maybe a bottle of water?" I asked, after I realized I had nothing to take the medicine with.

Aya looked at over at Keitaro, but he didn't reply. She looked back at me, "No. But we will be at Chaz's and Rainey's in a minute, we'll get you something there."

I smiled back at her and shook my head, letting her know that was fine. I could hold out a little bit longer. I leaned back in the seat, and looked up at the ceiling on the Hummer. Quickly shutting my eyes, and rubbing my temples again. The pain did seem to go down some but it was still there. I keep track of my breathing. The pain eased a little more. I didn't have to open my eyes, to know we were at Chaz's and Rainey's now. The Hummer slowly made it way up the drive way, and came to a complete stop. I could hear a little muffling going on up the front. I slowly opened my eyes, and slowly moved my head down until I could see up front. The muffling I heard must have been Aya and Keitaro talking. Because when I looked up front Aya wasn't there anymore. I glanced over to the window on my other side. I saw Aya standing at the door, looking like she was waiting for someone to answer. Slowly the front door opened and Aya was gone. I couldn't tell who it was that opened the door; they must have been behind it. I kept watch waiting to Aya come back out the door, but it seemed like eternity sitting there watching. I couldn't wait anymore. It seemed the more I stared and waited the worse my pain became. I quickly went back to my position of closed eyes and breathing exercises. It seemed like right after I took the first breath and released it, I felt better. I was totally amazed, I couldn't figure out why though. I quickly took a few more breaths and released them the same way. By the sixth one, the pain was almost completely gone. I was pleased by the fact. I decide to open my eyes, and see how I felt after the fact.

Blinking a few times, I could see why my pain went away. I could feel my face turning a shade of red at the fact. The corners of my mouth lifted up. I didn't understand this one bit, I couldn't think of why it happens or why I felt the way I did at that moment. All I knew was I was happy and not in pain anymore. I tried to look the other way, to see if Aya was coming, but I couldn't. All I wanted to do was stare at Keitaro's eye, as he looked at me in his rearview mirror.

Chapter 8

Night Light

It was still pretty earlier when we arrived at the high school to meet everyone. The sun still had about couple of hours before it set for the day. I watched as the black letters on the front of the building went by my window spelling out the words, Jellico High School. The tan color of the bricks looked to be in decent shape even though the school looked older than most schools I have attended. I couldn't believe in just a few weeks that I would be taking my first steps into this building with the people inside the vehicle with. At first it seemed a little scary but then I realized it will be a totally different experience than I usually have. A low chuckling sound came from beside me, but I didn't have to turn around to know that it was Chaz sitting beside me making that sound that caught my attention. Looking around the outside of the building and the parking lot, I was sort of amazed by what I seen. I guess cause I imaging a totally different picture in my head of what this place would look like. I brought my eyes back to the black lettering of the school's name again, when I felt a quick jab to my right side.

"You okay there?"

Quickly turning to meet face to face with Chaz, I smiled, "Yeah, it's just….. I just thought it would look different!"

"Oh, I see. Well I'm sorry if it's not what you except." he laughed.

I joined in with his laugh, not really too sure why I was in the first place. But at the moment it seemed right. I didn't realize that Keitaro had already stopped the Hummer in the middle of the parking lot. I must have really been deep in thought over the building. Rainey and Aya were talking among their selves, while Chaz was messing with his cell phone. I looked up the front to find Keitaro just sitting there staring out the window towards the road watching for the other to come. I started to grow impatient sitting there waiting for the others, I turned back to the school and looked it over again to kill sometime. Tracing the lines between the bricks into different patterns, over and over again, I could hear what sounded to be a loud humming sound. I looked around at everyone but it was like no one else heard it. Turning back to the school I could hear the sound getting closer. I couldn't help myself; it was like my eyes had a mind of their own. I turned and found myself looking the same way Keitaro was. I didn't see anything, but for some reason I just found myself staring in the same direction as he was. The sound was coming closer and closer. Before I knew it, there was Kentra's Civic coming around the bend and pulling into the parking lot towards us with a Jeep following right behind him.

Seeing the Civic and knowing that he was in there, I could feel my whole entire body getting nervous. I wasn't sure how this was going to go between the four of us, but I was pretty sure I was going to find out here soon. I watched to see Keitaro turn his head towards Aya, who was now sitting still in her seat quietly. She nodded her head at him, and smiled. Keitaro's blank look on his face disappeared and he smiled right back at her. I wasn't sure what was going on with them, but it was almost like they were able to read each other's minds. Kentra flew into the parking lot and came rushing over to us. Parking the Civic right beside the Hummer, with his driver side on our drive side. I could feel his stares coming through the windows, which made me feel so nauseas. I wanted to get out of the Hummer and run. Head for home, but then I realized it won't do me any good. I didn't know which way to go and with my luck, Kentra would follow behind offering me a ride. The sudden thought of him doing it made the nauseating worse. My stomach flipped and flopped, my body shook due to my nerves being shot hell by everything. I glanced back over to Aya, who was looking my way. She must have seen the way I reacting to everything at the moment, her face was so sad. She tried to smile a tiny bit, but it wasn't much. I tried to smile back, hoping to make her feel better.

Buzz…………… buzz…… buzz……….

The sudden vibration of my cell phone in the pocket of my hoodie caught me off guard. I was quiet confused on who was writing me at the moment, but for some reason the distraction made me feel a little bit better. I dug through the pocket pulling out the phone and flipping it open to find the following message come up on the screen,

Hey Gab! It's oaky! Just breathe!  
Everything is going to be okay, promise.  
Just relax and breathe, this is your night.  
No one is going to ruin it for you! –A

Reading the text really didn't help how I felt. I knew that Aya meant well by it, and I knew that I should honestly take her advice and relax. But I wasn't sure how to knowing what I knew now about Kentra and the fact that Aya and him used to have something. Just the littlest thought about it made me feel awful and also weird. But Aya was right, they were doing this for me, and this was my night. I just need to breath, relax, and everything else will work out for the best, (hopefully).

*

The sun had set and darkness had falling upon us within the last evening hours. The once little group I met over a week ago, I was now a part of and was extremely happy to be with them. The day was unbelievable after the minor setback that happened earlier by we went out. After everyone met up at the school, we were off and ready for anything that came our way. Landon begged for us to go to Indiana Mountain State Park, so Hunter and him could show everyone where they were when they seen the old warrior chief from a old wise tale on one of the hiking trails in the middle of the night a couple of weeks back. They swore that the chief was transparent just like a ghost should be according to what they had heard, and that the man wore a head dressing on his head, and were wrapped in something like bear skin so they couldn't see the rest of his body. No one believed them and really didn't want to. But the vote got left up to me since it was my night according to Aya and Keitaro. Honestly, I was kind of curious about their story, not saying I completely believed them. But I thought it would be neat to check out plus it would get Landon to shut up for the rest of the night, if we went on and got it over with.

The hike didn't take as long as everyone thought it would take. Once we were at the spot, Landon and Hunter decided to act out everything that happened when they saw the supposed chief. No one could hold back from laughing as they watch the two of them do their little skit. Between the laughter and talking, Landon gave up saying that it was something that you could only see last at night, and that one day he would prove to all of us what they had seen. We started making our way back down the hiking trail. I was in pure ecstasy at the supreme beauty that was all around us. From the origin of the mountain where we were, you could look over the side and see where the river was starting to bend around the land, and everything around. The picnic area looked so tiny from where we were, it almost seem like it would take forever to get back down there. But the forever was only minutes, and in no time we were back in the vehicles heading towards our next destination.

Buckner's Trough was the name that I read on the sign when we pulled into the driveway of the restaurant we were going to eat. At the moment I wasn't really hungry but then again I wasn't the only one here, so I didn't mind! Chaz was ecstatic about eating, which I wasn't shocked to see since he was such a big guy compared to the other guys, but it seemed like every time I seen him or heard him talk, he somehow brought up food. Rainey rolled her eyes, at her football player size brother as if she was embarrassed by how he acted by food in front of people. But I couldn't help myself from laughing at the situation. Chaz glanced over at me, smiled and started again about eating, it was pretty clear he knew it bother Rainey!

Hours must of went by as all eleven of us sat around the largest table the place had, talking and laughing about everything and anything. At first when we first got to the table and we all sat around the whole circle, I was glad that Aya sat on my left side, while Rainey took the other side. But within second that moment of happiness was gone when Ken sat right across from me at the table. I could feel the nauseas coming back, but it soon went away, when Keitaro came to sit down at the table and asked Ken to move down to the next seat, where he would be across from Aya. At first it appeared that Ken wasn't going to move, but then he got up and moved down to the next seat. I couldn't help but to think that maybe he was just doing it to make it seem so obvious on what Michiko had said to me earlier but then again I didn't know. After several minutes of everyone figuring out what they were going to have to eat, and placing their order to the middle age waitress, who didn't appear to be happy with being stuck with a bunch of teenagers, we were all back to talking among ourselves again. From the time the order was taking to the time the food had arrive to the table, I learned some much stuff from everyone at the table. Starting with Rainey, we went around the table and everyone told me some stuff about them. I had no clue that Rainey and Lee were seeing each other. That Keira and Lula were sisters when they looked nothing alike at all. Chaz and Rainey were step-brother and sister. That Landon and Hunter were best friends, and that Landon was talking to Keira. That everyone single one of them, had all grown up together in this little town never knowing what it was like to move around all over the place, like I have done all my life. Then it came to hearing about Kentra, I just tried to keep an open mind and trying not thinking about what I already knew. Kentra went on to say that he wasn't born in the area, but was brought to the town to live with his uncle that has been raising him since he was two years old. That he was cousins with Michiko, but they were more like brother and sister; they were really close and how Keitaro and he were best friends. Kentra started to say something about Aya, but he stopped when the waitress came to the table with the food.

It was so amazing at that moment, when I looked around the table at all of their faces, and seen how they all acted towards each other and thinking about how they all said how they all grew up together in this little area, how well they all knew each other. It made me feel a little sad about the way my life was and had been. But soon that sadness was gone, cause within seconds after getting our food, everyone took turns asking me questions. Where all have I been? What's it like to live in some many different places? What all kind of people have I met? All the sites and scenery I had seen. It seemed like the rest of the dinner was totally focused on me and no one else. Which in a way I didn't mind one bit, it actually made me feel important and good about myself?

After the last couple of bites of food, and the questions finally ended, we sat at the table in our own little conversations between one and another until the waitress to come back over to the table to give us our check. I couldn't help to find myself in totally disbelief on how Aya and Keitaro acted all night towards Kentra. It was like nothing ever happened and that no one knew a thing. I watched as they all three talks and laughed among each other. Once the waitress laid the bill on the table, I quickly grabbed my purse and started digging through it looking for my portion of my money to chip in. Pulling out a five and a couple of singles, I tosses them up on the table and went digging through my purse looking for my chap stick knowing the last time I used it, I tossed it in there. But before I could find it, I seen the money I had put in the pile back in front of me. I looked up and cross the table to see Ken looking right in my direction.

"I got it, Gabrielle." he said calmly.

"No it's okay; I have the money right here." I replied back tossing the money back into the piles.

But before my money even hit the pile of money from everyone, Kentra had picked it up with the check in his hand. I just stared at him, hoping that this wasn't the time he was going to start all of this. I watched as he picked up the money I tossed down and tossed it back at me.

"I said I got it!"

"No Ken………"

"Hey Gab, it's okay. It's your night, and we're the ones paying!" I heard Keitaro's voice say.

I looked over at him, as he just looked at me and smiled. I smiled back not able to control myself. I shook my head, and was about to tell them no, that I didn't want them to, but Kentra had already given the waitress the money for the check. Picking up my money off the table and pulled the three singles I had already out and toss them in the middle of the table and shoved the five back in to my purse, as I looked over at Kentra and told him, "Fine then, but that's my part of the tip!"

Everyone just seemed to laugh as they tossed their portion of the tip into the middle of the table, and got up pushed their chairs in and head for the door. I waited for Aya to get up before I made my move afraid that Kentra might try to follow me out the door and talk to me while we weren't around everyone else. I stood up right when Aya got up and pushed in my chair. The waitress was back at the table handing Kentra the change from the bill, and tell us thanks for coming and to have a good night. You could tell in her voice that she was pleased that we were leaving, but as the four of us got to the door, we heard the woman sighed from where we just were. It was pretty clear that she got her tip and counted it finding out that the biggest tip she probably made for the night came from a bunch of pesky teenagers that she didn't even want to bother with in the first place.

*

Creeping up the steps across the porch to the front door, I turned back quickly to see that Keitaro and Aya were still there watching and waiting for me to get in the house. I waved and turned back around and made my way into the house. Trying hard not to make any noise, but it was soon failed when the front door decided to make it loud creaking noise, when I opened it. Quickly in the house and closing the door behind me, I looked around to see if my parents came out of their room to see what the noise was. But there was no one from what I could tell with the light bit of moonlight that shown in from the front room. I wasn't too sure what time it was when I walked in the door. I totally lost track of the time after we left the restaurant around nine. I stuck my hand in the pocket of my hoodie and started digging for my phone, but I came up empty handed. I must have shoved it in my purse. Kicking off the flip flops next to the door, and I quickly made my way up the steps taking a two at a time. Once at the top, I tipped toed toward my room. Stepping inside the room, I felt the wall for the light switch. Once the light was on, I throw my purse over to the bed and made my way over to the dresser to get my pajamas for the night. Undressing and redressing, I glanced over at my computer desk and where I sat my alarm clock, was glowing the time of one clock in the morning. I shook my head in disbelief at the time; I knew there was no way we were out that late. Once I was able to get my right leg through my pants, I made my way to the bathroom.

Taking the corner of the door and stepping out in the hallway and tip toeing towards the bathroom. Right when I went to walk through the door of the bathroom, something caught the corner of my eye. Turning around to find nothing out the ordinary other than the bedroom light other than the bathroom light was the only things on, and I knew I was the only person who was up. It must be the time of the day getting to me; I was extremely tired at the moment. I shrugged off whatever it was I thought I seen and walked into the bathroom. Turning on the hot water and adjusting the cold water for the perfect temperature. Once I found the right mixture, I went right into washing my face. The water felt so good running down my face. I throw a couple more handfuls water on my face. Reached up turned the water off, and patted the counter for my towel. Finding the towel, I covered my face with the towel and gently patted my face. Pulling out the hair band, letting my hair fall down onto my back, then reaching for the hairbrush and separating my hair, I started brush fight with the curls.

"Stupid curls, ouch!"

Right when I brought the brush down to the bottom of the strand, getting ready to bring it up to the top of my head to pull again through the hair. The brush slipped out of my hand, and went crashing to the bathroom floor. I felt myself flinch when I heard the noise, hoping it didn't wake either of my parents up. Bending down to pick up the brush, I looked over at the bathroom door. There in the crack of the door was a faint white light. Picking the brush up, while scrambling back to my feet, I kept my eyes on the light that I seen at the door. The light started too faded away, but not completely. It was as if the light was moving away from the door. I held the hair brush behind my back, as I walked to the door. I really didn't know what I was going to do if someone was in the house, maybe hit them with the brush or throw it at them. Who knows, but it was the only thing I had around to protect myself with. Trying so hard not to make any noise as I stood behind the door; bring my head around, so I could see out the little crack I left between it and the door frame. At first I didn't see anything, but darkness but as I scanned the hallway very carefully, I seen where the light was coming from.

"Holy sh….." came out of my mouth suddenly, I throw my hands over my mouth cracking myself in the face with the hairbrush.

Watching what I seen with my own eyes, trying to figure out if what I was seeing was really what I was seeing! There was the light traveling very slowly down the hallway on towards the right side of the hall. The light was about half way in between the room, when the light stopped. I could feel my breath get heavier and my heart start to race out of my chest. I tried to stay calm but it wasn't working so well. Watching as the bright golden light stood still in the middle of the room. The glow of the light made it difficult for me to see anything else around the light. The light sat there for a minute just shining on, undisturbed. Then the light went dim, almost as a small candle light, and that was when I see everything. Then seeing that the light was coming from what appeared to be an old fashion glass lantern. My eyes followed the handle of the lantern to see that someone was holding it. I followed the pale skin white fingers balled up around the handle down to the elbow to the shoulder up to the face of the person looking back at me. My first reaction that came to mind right away was to scream my head off, hoping my parents would wake up and come to my rescue. But there was something off about all of this, I was completely calm. Something about the look on the face staring at me made everything feel okay.

I wasn't able to make out everything about the pale white oval shape face that was outline with a curly brown hair staring at me, but I knew it was a young woman. I wasn't sure of her age, but she looked to be pretty young but older than me still. It was pretty obvious that she wasn't from around here, actually more like not from this century by the way she was dress. She wore a long black skirt with a white button down collar shirt. She was staring towards me, giving what looked like a smile. She quickly turned around and headed to towards one of the doors again. Gradually opening the bathroom door all the way, I watched as she disappeared into the second door on the right side of the hall. Quietly stepping towards the room the young girl went into. The door was still closed when I got to the door, but there was no light that I could see in the room. I pressed my hands on the door, and took a deep breath as I turned the knob to the door. It took a second for the door to open; I knew that the woman didn't have any problem with the door. The door crept open very slowly, I peeked through the little crack of the door I made. The only light I could see was the moonlight coming from the window in the back of the room. I pushed the door the rest of the way open. The room was still pretty dark other than the little streak of light from the moon shine down on the floor. I stepped into the room, looking for a light switch. Once my hand fumble onto what appear to be the switch, I flipped the switch up.

The light from the ceiling in the middle of the room came on. The light wasn't very bright but it filled the room with a low glow. The room the woman had gone must have been an old office or library. There were shelves covering almost all the walls that were filled completely with books except for wall with the windows and the fireplace over on the right side of the room. In front of the window was a dark color desk cover with neatly stacks of paper on it with a large chair sitting behind it. Out of everything that was in the room, there was no sign of the young woman or the lantern she carried with her. Walking over to the window, checking to see if there was any way to get out of the room other than the door I enter through. The windows were still locked and looked as if they haven't been touched in years. I shook my head in disbelief over everything I just seen in the last past couple of minutes. It was late and I know I was tired as hell. Maybe I was just seeing things or maybe I was dreaming and didn't realize it. Turning around back to the desk, I glanced over the paper on it. They were a faded yellow color and the handwriting was very neat and very old fashion looking but beautiful. Then at the moment for some reason there was something above the fireplace caught my eye. I didn't remember seeing it a minute ago, but now it was there. It was covered with an old dusty gray sheet that looked to be white at one point in time. Still staring at the sheet, I made my way around the desk and over to the fireplace. Reaching up and grabbing the corner of the sheet. I tugged once but the sheet didn't move. I tugged again a little harder than before, and the sheet came ruffling down on top of me. Throwing the sheet off of me, the dust from the sheet started flying around. Coughing, sneezing, and throwing my arms around waving the dust out of my face so the madness would stop. Once the dust settle and the sneezing and coughing came to a halt, I glanced up to find a painting hanging there in place.

Looking up at the beautiful elegant frame, I realized the painting wasn't a painting, it was a picture. There were five people in the black and white picture. The first person to caught my eye was a older man looking about the age of my father, with slick black hair and husk built sitting in a chair, and sitting across his chair was another chair with a older woman in sitting in the chair looking to be around my mother age, she appeared to have blonde curly hair framing her face, she was built slender. Their faces were calm and peaceful but no smiles came across them. Then my eyes went over to the next person in the picture. It was a young boy probably a little older than me standing behind where the two chairs met. The young boy was a spitting image of his father. The two males were dressed exactly alike in the picture, with their slacks with white button down shirts and jacket over top of the shirts. I looked back over the mother and seen that she was dressed every similar to the young woman I seen earlier in the hallway. My eyes dropped down to the last two people in the picture, they were sitting in the floor, one beside the older woman's chair and the other on beside the older man's chair. They were both young girls probably around my age in the picture. The one beside the man had blonde straight hair going straight down. She was slender like the woman and had some of the same features of her too. There was something odd about the look she had on her face, almost as if she didn't want to be there. Her eyes looked to be dark and the way they were shaped made them look even darker. Slowly bringing my eyes over to the other girl, who was sit beside the older woman, I felt my mouth drop open and my eyes bug out of their sockets.

"Oh my God, it can't be!"

Surely what I was seeing really wasn't what it appeared to be. But something told me that it was what I was seeing. I just couldn't believe it, there was no way. The young girl in the picture look was not the same as the other girl or anyone else in the family. It was almost like she combination of them all in one. Her hair was dark but not as dark as the two guys in the picture, but she had the woman curls. Her eyes were wide and bright with excitement along with a huge smile. Her face was of an oval shape, but her face had full features in it sort of like the older males. Staring at her long, it was plan to see what it was that my mind was telling me plain as day.

"She's…. she's…. she's me!"

Chapter 9

Little Green Eye Girl

Sunlight crept in through the room sweeping across my sleeping face, through the curtain over on my side of the bed. I blinked a few times before I rolled over to see what time it was. Seven-thirty the clock said, as I just stared into its greenish color light as the zero turned into a one. Forcing myself to sit up, throwing the covers around my legs. I glanced over to make sure I didn't wake the person beside me. Charles was still sound asleep when I got out of the bed, putting on my house shoes and robe, I quickly fixed the sheets before the cold air could sneak in and bother him. Walking over to the curtains, I pulled them closer together and made my way out of the room. Charles started shifting in the bed, but I knew he was still asleep.

Walking into the hallway, closing the door quietly behind me, I followed the wooden floor into the kitchen. It was almost blinding walking into the kitchen for the sunlight was screaming in through the windows into the open room. The white cabinets seemed to be whiter and the wooden floor didn't appear to be as dark. I made my way over to the sink and washed out my coffee mug from the previous morning, and started a pot of coffee on the counter right next to where I was. I watched out the window, as I listen to the coffee machine come to live and start doing its morning chore. Outside was as beautiful as ever. No matter how many times I started out this window every morning, I got the same feeling that I got the very first day I stepped into the house. Peace, joy, happiness, and total filament seemed to wash over me ever since that first day. Out of all the places I had been in my life, nothing compared to this.

The low rumbling sound that was my back ground noise came to a halt. I shook my head at the sudden reality and went on making me a cup of coffee. The warm sweet aroma of vanilla and hazel filled the room, waking all of my senses. I knew taking a sip right now would be painful on my tongue but I couldn't resist the temptation of it any longer. Sipping the coffee and filling the burning liquid on my tongue, I was shocked when it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. I quickly took another drink and the sudden rush of drinking the sweet taste vanished. Something about this morning was different than the other mornings; I have woken up in this house. Standing in front of the sink still and looking out the window with cup in hands, I then realized that it wasn't in the house I want to be but outside in the morning air. Without any hesitation, I took another drink of my coffee and made my way to the front door.

Stepping out on the front porch, I could feel the wind blow across the porch. The morning air was so crisp and refreshing to breathe in. The sunlight beam down on my face making the warmth of it flow throughout my body as I came over to the steps of the porch and looked over the yard in front of me. The green grass shined bright from the sunlight while the wild flowers danced along with the wind. The trees swayed side to side along with the flowers, and the birds were singing their little. Everything seemed so peaceful, that it even made me feel at peace with it all. I sat down on the top step and watched it all over again. The calmness felt too good to be real. For a minute it was so nice, that it almost made me want to go back to sleep. But not just any sleep, a peaceful non-stress type of sleep, probably one that I was long overdue for. I could feel my body relaxing at it all, my mind seemed to be at ease, and it was just so hard to believe how good this felt. Not thinking about what my next move was, I felt the coldness of the stone wall of the steps railing against my back. My body had just automatically leaned back against. I stared up at the sky watching the birds fly through the clouds, and before I knew it I was in my own little world. It was almost as if someone was playing a movie in front of me. I didn't refuse to watch it or fight the urge. I just sat there and let the movie take me in more and more. Before I knew it, I was watching my life right before my eyes.

_Growing up was a very difficult thing for me, because I never really knew my parents, for they had been killed in a very strange accident when I was only two. After their deaths, I went in and out of foster house and orphanages until the age of five, when a middle age couple named the Creekmore decide to take me in. They were said to known my parents and were good friends of theirs. I couldn't remember though for I was so young at the time. Mr. and Mrs. Creekmore were very wealthy people and did a lot of traveling; they never had any children of their own for they were still wanted to live life to the full it before they made that big step. Then one day, Mrs. Creekmore decided she wanted a child of her own for she feared that she didn't do it now then she may never have the chance later on. But the fear came a lot sooner than expected. After a year of trying to have a child of their own, the Creekmores found out they were unable to convince a child and were told to try to adopt. The heartbreak tore Mrs. Creekmore heart up and she said she could never take care of someone else child that it wasn't the same. Six months after all the heart ache and tears, Mr. Creekmore convicted his wife that they should move back to their home town and get a fresh start and maybe think about adopting a child. For they were not getting any younger and had some much to give, and Mr. Creekmore thought it would be nice to leave their things to their child or a child they could call theirs._

_Moving back to their home town Jellico, Tennessee, the Creekmores bought their self a nice piece farm land with a beautiful Victorian style home. Three months after settling in, Mrs. Creekmore started talking about their friends, the Lays. The Creekmores had not seen their friends the Lays for at least five years. After doing some research and asking around. The Creekmores received the news about the Lays' unfortunate deaths and about their only child surviving and in an orphanage. Hearing the trouble news broke Mrs. Creekmore heart, and she insisted to her husband that they needed to find the Lays' little girl and take care of her the way her parents would of. They searched for weeks and weeks until one day, The Creekmores finally found the little pale skin, brown locks of curls, with big green eyes named Inez Andrews._

_I could remember it like it was yesterday when the Creekmores came and got me from that place. I was so grateful when they took me in and also the fact that they were knew the two people that I would have loved to known. All my life I wonder about my parents. What type of people they were, where did they come from, the family they grew up with? Just so much I wanted to know. I guess maybe that was my reason for being so hard on my daughter. She didn't know how lucky she is to have both parents, how lucky she was to have a roof over her head and giving the things she wanted along with the things that she needed. I wanted so badly to explain to her my life as a child. But I could never tell her anything before I was five, and I also wouldn't tell her any of the conversation about my parents that I had with my adopted parents. It hurt to bad to talk about. Even then when I was little it was hard to do, even though I knew that my new mother and father would have told me anything I wanted to know about them._

_I couldn't be any happier or more excited about what was happening to me. No more orphanage or foster care. And for chance, I could learn about my parents and see what it was like to have an actual family for a change! The Creekmores were just as thrilled about me becoming part of their family as I was. The Creekmores showered me with love, hugs, and kisses something that I never really ever experience before that I could remember. They worked with me to get me ready for school, from reading to writing to simple thing like singing little kiddies songs to tying my shoes. We did everything together as a family. From birthday parties to family vacations. My favorite became holiday time. The Creekmores would go all out just for me, and show me what it was really like for family to celebration together._

_A year had past, since I first stepped in to my new life with the Creekmores, and I was as happy as could be, but I started to feel the void of not knowing my true self. I wanted to know, where I came from, what type of people my parents were, who I looked like, what they looked like. I was so caught up in enjoying my new life, I almost forgot about my past one. Several weeks went by, and the Creekmores noticed a difference in me, they began to worry about me. I didn't seem interested in anything they did anymore, my grades started to slip, and I really didn't talk too much to them as I did before. The Creekmores feared that I didn't love them anymore, that I would want to leave them forever. So upset by their thoughts, Mr. and Mrs. Creekmore, decide to confront me about what was going on with me that night at dinner:_

"_Inez, dinner is ready!" Mrs. Creekmore, called out._

"_I'm on my way down, Mom!" _

_Sitting at the table waiting on Inez to come down and join them for their supper. Mr. Creekmore couldn't help himself by looking over at his wife and watching her stare at the door and wait for Inez to walk through._

"_Nadine, are you okay with this?"_

_Not hearing what her husband said, Nadine just kept staring at the doorway preparing herself for their conversation with Inez._

"_Nadine? Nadine?"_

"_Oh, what did you say Harold?"_

"_Are you alright, sweetheart?"_

"_Just a little worried about what's going on with Inez, honey. I'm so worried!"_

"_Well you not alone, we're in this together." Harold mumbled to his wife, trying to control his own emotions on the subject._

_Reaching over and grabbing his wife's hand, he tried his hardest to put on smile on his face. Nadine knew Harold was just as worried as she was, but somehow was able to handle these type of situations a lot better than she could ever think of. Just sitting there, staring at each other holding hands, they heard the footsteps of little Inez coming towards them in the dining room. With both of their hearts sucked down in the chest, they looked over at the door and then back at each other and again at the door. Then around the corner and standing in the doorway was their little green eye girl. Walking over to the table and taking her place that table. Inez looked at her parents and gave them a half a smile, and looked down at her plate. Not know why she was staring at her plate and not too sure who should go first talking. The Creekmores looked at each other and with a more disappointed look on their faces._

"_Inez, sweetheart can you please pass the bowl of potatoes?" Nadine asked Inez, thinking maybe a little conversation might break the ice._

_Without saying a word or looking up at Nadine, Inez grabbed the bowl of potatoes and handed them right to Nadine, and went back to staring at her plate in front of her. Just sitting there watching what was happening, Harold couldn't do it anymore, he couldn't hold back anymore, "Inez, honey look up at me please!"_

_Looking up at her father, eyes widen with a blank look on her face as if she sat there waiting for Harold to say what was on his mind._

"_Inez, your mom and I have noticed that you been acting differently here lately and we're just a little worried! Is there something you want to tell us, or did something happened?" Mr. Creekmore blustered out in an instant not thinking at all about what he was saying or doing._

"_Inez sweetheart, You know you can tell us anything, we are family!" Mrs. Creekmore said making sure she got her two cents in._

_Looking at the two people who came and took her away from the awful life of foster care and orphanages, she didn't want to hurt them by saying she wants to know about her real parents, because basically they were her parents, well at least the only ones she ever knew. But looking at them and seeing their concern looks on their faces and knowing that they just wanted to help, Inez known she need to tell them what was on her mind._

"_Inez, are you going to answer my question?" Mr. Creekmore asked_

_Shaking her head yes at the question, Inez closed her eyes and took a deep breath and answered with, "Mom. Dad, Mmm……"_

"_It's okay honey, just say whatever it is. We promise that we won't be upset about anything you say." Mrs. Creekmore mutters in as quickly as possible, scared to death to hear what going to come out of Inez's mouth._

"_Well I know it going to sound a little weird, but I was wondering if….."_

"_Go on!" Mr. Creekmore butted in._

"_If…. Well... see I've been thinking and I was wondering about…… I don't know."_

"_Just say it Inez it's okay, what were you thinking about or wondering about?" Mrs. Creekmore said to Inez grabbing her hand, trying to encourage her to tell them whatever it was she needs to tell them._

"_Mmm…. I know that I'm only six and I know I really don't know anything about them, but I was wondering about my real parents. I'm really sorry!"_

_The room filled with silences. Harold and Nadine sat there looking at Inez, hands still locked together in total shock. Inez watched them wondering what they were thinking or how they were feeling at the moment, hoping she didn't upset them any. She went back looking at her empty plate, feeling the water coming to her eyes. Harold and Nadine finally looked at each other and sighed. They were so relieved and happy that it wasn't their worst nightmare. Without another second to waste, they quickly went to talk to Inez._

"_Inez, sweetheart…" Nadine whispered every softly hoping that Inez won't go back to be silent._

"_I'm so sorry I shouldn't have asked."_

"_No, No, it's okay Inez! It's okay! We're not mad!" Harold barked out._

_Inez looked up at the two of them, with tears down her cheeks. She quickly wiped her eyes, as she asked, "You're not upset with me?"_

"_No! Why would we be?" Nadine replied back._

"_Cause….. I don't know!"_

"_Inez, sweetheart comes here please." Harold asked, as he scooted his chair back from the table._

_Inez got up from the table, pushed her chair back in and made her way around the table to her father. She wasn't sure what to except but she knew it could be anything to awful, or could it. She stood beside Mr. Creekmore, not too sure what to do next. Mr. Creekmore turned his chair so he was facing Inez. He reached up and pulled her to him, placing her halfway on his lap._

"_Inez, you can ask us anything about your parents. They are your parents, and we can never take that away from you. You have every right to know about them, and we will never hold anything from you about them." He stated as he placed his chin on top of her head holding her tight._

_Inez moved and looked up at him and then over at Mrs. Creekmore. Nadine smiled widely and had tears following down her face, as Inez did early._

"_Inez you can always have more than two parents! There is nothing wrong with that. We are your parents but they are your parents also. It's just we're not blood that's all and it doesn't matter. Trust me, sweetheart, I never thought I could love a child as much as I could love my own flesh and blood but you, Inez had proven me wrong, and I thank you for opening my eyes to that!" Nadine wept out, as she patted her face trying so hard to cry anymore, but couldn't help herself._

_Not thinking about what she was doing, Inez jumped up and ran over to Nadine and hugged her. Then she went back over to Harold and did the same. A smile finally broke through onto her face. She stood between the two people she loved more than anything and held their hands. Nadine finally was able to get a hold of her tears and Harold fixed his chair back to the way it was. Inez made her way back to her sit, and sat up looking at them this time instead of looking down at her plate._

"_Well let's eat before the food gets any colder than it is now!" laughed Harold._

Something from behind me startles me. I looked back to see it was Charles coming to see where I was. I smiled when his eyes met mine. He smiled back as headed towards me to join me on the step.

"Good morning." he whispered, as he leaned over to kiss me on my forehead.

"Morning," I replied back.

"What cha doing out here?"

"Just sitting here relaxing, It just seemed so nice this morning I wanted to join it."

"Oh well that makes sense. I'm not bothering am I?"

"No you're not, You just kind of startle me with the front door that's all."

"Oh, sorry about that." he laughed.

I laughed back, and turned my attention down towards the road. The wind started to pick up, it sent a sudden chill down my back. I had forgotten all about the mug that was in my hand. Taking a drink of the coffee hoping it was still warm to knock the chill right out of me, but realized that it was ice cold. I wonder how long I had been out here. I could feel Charles looking at me wondering what I was thinking; I looked over at him meeting his blue eyes.

"Something wrong, Inez?" he asked; as he ran his hand throw his golden brown hair.

"Was just wondering how long I've been out here. I must have been day dreaming, and totally lost track of time."

"Well it's around nine, if that helps you any. What cha day dreaming about?"

"Wow it's that late already. I guess I was day dreaming, sort of doesn't seem like it in a way. Oh it's nothing really just thinking about some things."

"Anything I need to be concern about?"

"No, Charles. Actually, it was sort of about my parents."

"Which parents?"

I knew he didn't mean anything by it, but I could feel myself giving him a dirty look. He looked at me surprised, but he knew that was just the way I was about the subject. I looked back out towards the yard and took a deep breath and let it out before I could even answer him.

"Well it was actually both sort of. I was remembering the day I first met the Creekmores and them taking me with them. Then it was like I fast forward a year later, to one of the conversation I had with them. It was the first time I ever asked them about my parents. I don't really know why it came up, I was just sitting here and it just happened and ……………."

"Inez, you don't have to explain it if you don't want to. I know how you feel about talking the sub…"

"No, Charles it's okay, I don't mind!" I rudely interrupted him.

I could see out of the corner of my eye him looking at me puzzled. I never talk about this stuff with him. I told him only small bits and pieces when it was the correct time but never have I ever liberated this much to him before. Before it always just hurt, like rubbing salt into the wound, but now it didn't feel that way at all. It felt good to talk about it. Like this larger amount of weight was being lifted on my shoulders.

"Inez, are you sure you're okay?"

Looking back at my beloved husband the man who respected and loved me more than anyone I knew other than my parents, was completely gone by my actions at the moment. It was plain to see he thought there was something else going on, and he was obvious wonder about my well being. I placed my coffee mug down on the step out in front of me, and turned my whole body turns him. I placed my hands on his face, and leaned in and kissed his soft pink lips. Pulling away, I could see the wariness was gone from his face but not his eyes. He just stared at me, placing his hands over mine. I knew I needed to say something, but at the moment it was just to perfect like everything else that happen this morning, but I knew it would be any minute he would ask me the same question again, until I gave him an answer.

"Charles sweetheart, I'm completely fine. Actually, I'm better than fine, I am absolutely completely at peace and happiness."

I watched as he pulled his lips over his teeth and pressed down, and then released them. A smile broke across his face, and his eyes lit up brighter than they were before. I knew that what I said made him happy, since he was always worried about "his girls" being happy as he would put it.

"I know it sounds weird to you Charles. But I am. I don't know if it's this house, or the fact we are where back where everything began for both of us. But something about being here just makes me feel whole inside."

"Inez, it doesn't sound weird. Really it doesn't. I'm glad to know that you found whatever it is that it making you feel the way you're feeling right now, even if I had nothing to do with." Charles giggled under his breath.

I pulled my hands away from his face, and poked him in the side. He grabbed my arm before I had time to pull it away, and pulled me closer to him. We both laughed for a moment and went back to looking at each other. When the smile broke across Charles' face, I could feel mine come across mine. And for the first time in a very long time, it was like when were on our first date. The way he held me, and the way we looked at each other, I prayed for the moment to never to end, as we leaned towards each other until our lips touched.

Chapter 10

Hideaway

Coldness swept over my whole body. My eyes fought with me to open up. The sunlight coming from the window behind me, made it hard to see anything around me at first. But after a few second of fighting with my vision, the battle end. At first I had no clue where I was, then it hit me, I was in my room in my bed when I sat up. I looked around the room, and seen that my light was still on and the clothes I was wearing when I was out with Aya and them last night, where lying in the floor where I left them. Jumping up out of the bed, trying to keep my balance, I ran to the door. Grabbing the frame of the door, stopping myself from falling forward due to the off balance I could still feel. I looked down the hallway towards the room, I followed the woman into, and seeing that the door was halfway closed. Looking back at my room at my bed and looking back at the door of the other room, I had no idea how I was back in my room. There was a light coming down the hall that I seen out of the corner of my eye. It dawn on me that I left the bathroom light on also. Nothing was adding up, my head was spinning around at everything. I didn't know if I dreamed everything or maybe I was dream right at the moment. I could feel the pounding pressure in my head from everything. Without even thinking, I found myself walking almost running to the other room. I had to be sure of what I seen last night.

Rushing into the door, pushing it open, I looked to see the room in the same setting as it was last night except for the old white dusty sheet on the floor, and there on the wall the picture that I stared long and hard at last night. My heart dropped, my eyes won't leave her face; her face, my face, our faces. The same everything about them, the shape, the noses, the shape of our lips, eyes, cheeks, forehead, we had everything. She was me, I was her. I could feel my breathing started to slip. The breaths became heavy and my heart started speeding up even more. I couldn't take it anymore; I throw my hands over my eyes, and forced myself out of the room. Coming out of the room, I hit my foot on the door and fell flat on my face. At the moment I didn't care about falling down, I didn't care if I was hurt at the moment. Because as soon as I was out of the room, I could breathe again and I could feel my heart coming down from its little race from the other room Rolling over onto my back, looking up at the ceiling. I waited for everything to go back to normal before I got up and did anything else.

Knock…Knock… Knock….

_Who the hell is knocking on the door at this time of the morning?_

Knock… Knock… Knock…..

Sitting up, I looked around and listened for anyone else to get the door. But no one else went to the door.

Knock… Knock…. Knock…

Forcing myself up, and making my way down the stairs, I listened to my own voice echo throughout the house, "Mom, Dad? Hello?"

But no one answered. I got down to the last step and looked down the back hall towards where my parents room was, but I seen no one. I turned back towards the door, and made my way in between the two front rooms. Looking over to my left then to my right, there was still no one else there. I was there by myself.

Knock…. Knock…. Knock….

"Hold on, I'm coming!" I yelled hoping whoever it was banging on the door would get me chance to get to the door.

Walking to the front door, I was a little confused on why I was the only person in the house. Where were my parents at? This was beginning to be too much for me at the moment, especially with everything that had gone on last night. I reached for the door handle and pulled the door open to see who it was on the other side of the door.

"Keitaro....."

I watched as he's cocked his head up slightly and smiled up at me. I was totally surprise by him showing up, I knew I couldn't hide the excitement from my face.

"Hey Gab! Did I wake you?"

"Oh no, no, I got up about ten, twenty minutes ago."

I couldn't resist smiling at him and at that moment everything that was bothering me went away. Right now at this moment nothing could mess it up.

"Oh okay, I was hoping I didn't." he replied back, as he put his hand in his pocket and pulled it out and handed something over to me, "Here you left this in my truck last night."

I watched as he opened his hand up, to see my cell phone sitting in the palm of his hand. I quickly grabbed it, feeling a little relieved that I didn't lose it, I would never live that down with my parents since already lost two cell phones in the last past six months.

"Oh, thank you Keitaro. I was going crazy last night looking for it."

"No offensive, but you do look a little ruff." he snickered.

I was caught off guard by what he said at the moment. Then it hit me, that I had not changed or anything this morning. I was completely embarrassed I could feel my face turn at least five shades of red within seconds. I quickly looked away from him, and glanced down at my phone, wanted to make it look like I was checking for missed calls. But my plan didn't work to well, when I burst out the time, "You got to be kidding, it's almost twelve in the afternoon!"

"Gab, are you okay? You look like you seen a ghost!" he laughed this time around.

"Hum…. It's just…. I had a really bad night after you guys dropped me off, I didn't sleep well." I started rambling off.

Keitaro just stood there looking at me, smiling. I wasn't sure if he was paying any attention or not. But I sort of didn't care, I already embarrassed myself and just rambled on in front of him, what could be worse.

"Oh, I'm so rude. Did you want to come in, Keitaro?"

"Actually if you don't mind, I would like too. I kind of hate to put you in this position but I kind of need a place to hide for a little bit."

I was a little confused by what he said, "Well you're more than welcome to hide here, but what good will that do you if the Hummer is in driveway?"

"It's not, it's at the house. I walked down here."

I felt my heart drop down in my chest as I step out of his way so he could come in. I looked out into the driveway and seen there was no vehicle in the driveway as I slowly closed the door. I could hear Keitaro's footsteps making his way towards the front room on the left side of the house now, the one my parents were going to leave as the front room. I turned to follow behind him. But was cut short, when I seen him turned and looking right at me. My eyes started at his chin and made my way up to his lips which were of course in a smile. I wasn't sure what it was about his smile, but I knew that I never see a smile like his in my life, and then I traced his nose up to his beautiful dark blue eyes just staring straight into mine. At that moment, my body was twitching. I had the sudden urge to move and I fought as hard as I could not too. I knew exactly what I wanted to do, but I couldn't it wasn't right. The two voices in my head starting fighting over, it was so wrong wanting to do it but it was so wrong for feeling the way that I did. I could feel my hands starting to itch and become clammy from the urge. Why was it so hard to fight back the feeling? Why did I want to touch him so bad? Why was I torturing myself so bad? He's not mine to do that too. Our eye contact was distributed, when the sudden sound of music came into the air. It was Keitaro's phone ringing. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at the phone. Dropping his hand and sighed at what he seen. I just stared curious about the call and his reaction to the call. The phone kept ringing then finally stopped, then before either one of us could say anything the phone started again.

"I guess I better take this, or she's not going to stop." he said again with a sigh.

"Oh okay. Well I will leave you alone, and head up stairs and get myself together. Make yourself at home!" I said smiling, as I quickly turned away and headed for the stairs.

Taking the steps two by two, trying to be quiet so that I won't make any noise to bother Keitaro on the phone. Making it to the top, I couldn't help but to stop and listen to see if I could hear anything from down stairs. There were no voices that I could hear, but there was no sound of the cell phone ringing either. I started walking away; before I knew it I could hear his phone again. I stopped in my tracks and listening as closely as possible.

"Hello......No I'm not home.......Yeah Aya told you right……Yeah I'm with my parents."

Figuring it was Michiko on the other end of the phone; I couldn't help but to feel blah about her. I knew it was wrong for Keitaro to lie to her about where he was or who he was with but in a way I was happy that he did.

"Listen Michiko, I told you that I had some running to do this morning with my parents. They asked me last night to go with them……… I don't know why Aya didn't come….. Maybe she has plans with Gabrielle… I don't know Michiko….. I told you after I was done with my running that I would be right over….. What about last night….. You were invited and you didn't want to go, so didn't even try to pull that shit on me….."

For a moment I felt extremely overwhelmed but I knew better than to take it any farther than that. Before I could hear anymore of the conversation, I tip-toed to my room and grabbing some clothes for the bathroom and hurried to get dress, to go back down stairs. Within ten minutes, I was dressed, hair done, tooth brushed, and was so full of energy that I found myself skipping to the stairs. Before I knew it was rushing down the steps. Taking the last step and hitting the first floor, I glanced around to see Keitaro sitting on the couch my parents just placed in the room for the time being. He looked as he was in deep thought. I didn't want to disturb him, so I just quietly walked into the room taking my place on the other end of the couch. I just stared out the window, just waiting for Keitaro to speak when he felt like it. The silences went on for a few more minutes, I ended up getting bored staring at the window, and I pulled out my cell phone and started thumbing through my e-mail that I haven't been able to check since we got here. There was a small buzzing sound coming from the other end of the couch, I looked towards the sound to see that the sound was coming from Keitaro. He didn't seem to notice at first.

I whispered.

Quickly retrieving the phone from his pocket, Keitaro looked at me and gave me a small smile, then looked down at his phone. Flipping his phone open, and sighing at whatever it was he seen. Before I knew it, the phone went from being down by his leg up to his ear in no time. I stared for a moment, and quickly looked back at my phone trying to act as if I didn't see what he was doing. But it didn't last long, before I knew it I was looking up at him when I heard him speak.

"Aya, what's going on? What did you tell her?"

There was a long pause after his questions; I sat there impatiently waiting for something to be said. But before I knew it my patients got what they wanted.

"You didn't tell her where I was, did you……… Good keep it that way…….. I'll call you back in an hour okay? If she calls just don't answer the phone, you got it, alright good... bye!"

Keitaro closed his phone in no time and shoved the phone back into his pockets. I watched as he leaned back on the couch and took a deep breath. I wanted to ask if everything was okay, but I couldn't force myself to say anything. All I could do was just watch him, watch his every move. But deep down I really wanted to know what was going on, maybe that's where the whole drama queen comes from, who knows. Letting out a loud sigh, Keitaro looked over at me, and shot a quick smile towards me. I couldn't help but smile back. He stared at me for a moment and shook his head.

"Is everything okay, Keitaro?" I was finally able to ask.

Keitaro turned facing his whole entire body towards me. He's eyes were locked into mine. I wanted to look away, but I couldn't.

"For the most part yes, but also no."

"Huh?"

"It's nothing, Gab! Don't worry about it!" he said through his smile.

"Oh okay, well if you want to talk about it, you can talk me anytime!" I said smiling back.

Keitaro looked at me sort of funny for a minute, but his smile never left his face. He started snickering and put his head in his hands.

"Gabrielle, can I ask you a question?"

My heart about busted out of my chest when he said my whole name. It was so weird to hear it come out of his mouth; he has never called me it since I met him. It's was always Gab, which I didn't mind, I actually like the way it came out of his mouth. My throat was dry at the moment, so I smiled and shook my head at him once he brought his face up from his hands, showing it was fine to ask me whatever it was he wants to know. I watched as he looked out the window and back at me, and took a deep breath. His smile was gone, he's face was completely blank, no emotion in his face. I waited for him to ask what he wanted to ask. He snickered a little as he looked down at the ground, he's cheeks seemed to turn a shade of pink. Was he blushing?

He let out a loud sighed, and then started to speak, "Gab how you do………."

"How do I do what?"

"Sshh…… there's someone here."

"Probably my parents, it's about time they got home. I was wondering where they were."

"No Gab, that's not your parents. Your parents are with my parents."

Before either of us could say anything, we both heard a car door slam. Keitaro peeked out the window, and his face went white. He turned and grabbed my arm, and started pulling me behind him.

"Keitaro, who is it?"

"It's Michiko."

The sound of the name shot a sudden rush of heat throughout my body. I was on my feet in no time; I went to look out the window. I see Michiko coming up the yard; you could see the angry pissed off look on her face plain as day. But before I could do anything or move, Keitaro was tugging me along. But it was too late; we could hear her foot steps on the stairs of the porch. Before I could do anything, I felt something around my waist. It was Keitaro wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me with him. We didn't even make it out of the living room when we hear her hit the top step and walk across the porch. We both looked at each other wide eye. With no time to think, I quickly grabbed Keitaro's hand from my waist and pulled him with me. Within seconds we were making our way back in the front room. I glanced around looking for a place to hide, and before I knew it I was tripping over my own feet getting ready to fall. Somehow, I spun around when I started to fall. There was a soft thump on the ground, and then something came crashing down on me. It took a second to catch my breath, but once I was able to breath, I then realized that the thing that came crashing down on top of me was Keitaro. With his face just inches away from mine, I just wanted to ask him what, due to the look on his face but the loud knocking coming from the front door stop me from speaking. The knocking got louder ever so often then quit. At first I hoped the knocking would keep going on, I didn't want to this moment to end. I knew it didn't look good, for a guy who was taking and his girlfriend at the door to be on top of the girl down the road. Keitaro started to sit up and look over towards the door since the knocking stopped. Then the sound of footsteps came across the porch once again, but they weren't leaving. Keitaro dropped back down, smacking his face into mine. I bit my tongue holding back from saying anything.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" he whispered.

"It's okay, just caught me off guard" I whispered back.

"Sorry but she's looking through the windows."

"I guess it's a good thing we fell behind the couch like this then don't think she'll like seeing this." I giggled out, placing my hand over my mouth trying not to be loud.

We heard the footsteps again. Keitaro sat up and I wiggled myself out from underneath him, sitting up with my back against the couch with my knees in my chest. Keitaro moved himself into the same position. We sat there in silences for a few more minutes until we were sure she was leaving. We listen as the footsteps went down the stairs. There was a slamming sound, must have been her shutting her door. We heard the engine come alive and then started slowly disappearing until there was no sound again. Keitaro got up first and made his way to the windows.

"She's gone!"

I struggled to get up and walked back around the couch and took my place back where I was earlier. I couldn't bring my eyes up to look at him; I was sort of embarrassed by what just happened with the fall behind of the couch.

"That was some smart thinking Gab. We almost got busted!" Keitaro laughed out, but it wasn't the same type of laugh he usually laughed.

"Actually I wasn't thinking, it just kind of happened, and the whole thing behind the couch that won't of happened if I was watching where I was going." I started explaining in an apology tune.

Keitaro stopped laughing and his face went serious like he was hurt by what I just said. He appeared to be happy that it happened. But right there at that moment, I had to know, I had to know what was going on.

"Keitaro, what is going on?" I finally asked, looking straight into his face.

Keitaro looked away real quick and sighed a low sigh. Turning back and looking at me, "Hey do you mind going outside to talk?"

I looked at him a little puzzled but shook my head yes, and got up from my spot on the couch and headed for the door. I listened as his footstep followed behind me, I came to a halt in my tracks and turn to him and asked, "Do you think it's safe to go out there?"

I watched as his lips curled up into a small smile and he shook his head showing it was okay. With no hesitation I turned back around and made my way to the door. Reaching out to the door handle and pulling the door. Walking towards the steps, I heard the front door close behind me. I took my sit on the top step, and within seconds Keitaro was sitting right beside me. We sat there in total silences for several minutes. I looked out at the road and listen to the birds sing. Keitaro just stared out in front of him. My mind was going crazy at the moment. I started replaying what just happened over and over in my head again. Even though I really enjoy the part of Keitaro falling on me, I knew it was so wrong too. But I was cut off by the sound of Keitaro clearing his throat.

"Okay, Gab here's the thing; I will tell you what is going on, if you promise to tell me what is going on with the whole Ken thing."

I froze in place, as bad as I wanted to know to know what was going; I knew I couldn't agree to what he wanted. I didn't want to upset Aya. Keitaro sat there looking at me waiting for my answer.

"Gabrielle, I know you don't want to say anything because of my sister, but I already know that Michiko has something to do with it. I just wanted the whole story. I promise not to get you involved. Well actually that's kind of late to say now." He whispered in the sweetest voice.

I know I was stuck. I closed my eye, and swallowed hard. Opening my eyes back up and looking over at him. His dark blue eyes just staring at me, I couldn't fight it anymore. I shook my head and dropped my head down. My head snapped up when I heard Keitaro clear his throat again.

"Okay well here's the deal. Michiko and I have been having problem for awhile now. I can't handle her screaming and yelling about everything and I'm really sick of her telling me who I can be around. She just expects me to drop everything for her. Whenever she wants me too, I can't do it anymore."

At this moment I couldn't breathe! I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was almost the same as what Aya said the other day.

"So the other day, I told her that I wanted a friend's night out. She agreed thank God, saying she needed to take care of something. Then yesterday, I didn't hear from her all day, which I didn't mind one bit, but when you should up all looking like you were upset about something and then Aya was all upset. I knew right off the bat that it had to do with Ken, and that Michiko was in it too. She was over here yesterday wasn't she?"

I couldn't speak still, my throat was so raw I was afraid if I said anything that the pain would be too much for me to handle. I just looked down again shaking my head agree with him.

"Well last night, after I dropped you off. My phone started going off. And of course it was her, she wanted to know everything. So I told her, but within seconds of telling her about the night, she was accusing me of being with you."

My heart stopped, I couldn't breathe again. I jerked my head up looking at him, with confusion on my face. She thought he was with me? The whole idea was completely crazy even though I wouldn't of mind it. I wanted to say something but I still couldn't and before I knew it Keitaro kept talking.

"I just told her, she was crazy. That it wasn't just me and you last night, that the whole crew was there even Ken was. And of course she didn't like that response and started going off about another things. So after I was able to get off her the phone, I decided that I was not going to see her as much as possible. See if it help end the relationship quicker. But I doubt it. I mean we are talking about Michiko."

I sat there listening, still not breathing correctly due to the whole conversation we were having. I just stared blankly out in front of me. I was too scared to look over him.

"Gabrielle?"

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have thrown this all out at you. It's just been building up and need to come out…. I ….. I"

"Keitaro it's okay. I don't mind. I did tell you if you need to talk you could talk to me. It's pretty clear that you need to." I choked out finally with a little half hearted smile but still looking out in front me.

"Thanks Gab! I really appreciate it!"

"No problem, Keitaro!"

"So now it's your turn!"

"Well hmmm…. Okay… you see yesterday before I came down to your house, Michiko did show up here. She said she came down to talk to me about Ken and also wanted to apology for the first day at your house. At first I didn't know if I should believe her, but something told I should. Anyways, she went on about Ken saying something about liking me and asked her to break the ice. But she didn't want me to tell Ken that she came down to talk, she didn't want me to tell Aya either. That's when I found out about Aya and Ken. I was totally blown away then she also said she didn't want anything said because it would mess things up between you two. At that moment all I wanted to do was run away. I didn't want to know any of what she told me. And as soon as she left, I headed to your house. I really didn't want to tell Aya, but I knew I had too.

"It really bothered me tell her all that. I was so upset hoping Aya won't be mad or angry at me. I felt so awful. And when you came into the picture it made it worse for me. Because here I was getting into the middle of something I didn't want to be in. And honestly, Keitaro when you came in to Aya's room yesterday all upset, you truly did scare me, I didn't know what to think at that moment. You didn't look like yourself."

Keitaro dropped his head down and started to speak, "I'm so sorry Gab, I really didn't mean for that. It's just Aya is my sister, and it upset me to see her like that. I had no right to take it out on you in anyway. "

"I know Keitaro, I know. You were just being her brother. And I get that. Trust me I do. But it just seems like ever since I got here, that I have cause a lot of trouble that isn't necessary at all."

"Gab, you haven't started anything, you actually made this come out into the open that would have never came out."

"I? What?"

"Listen, I'm sorry and I know that doesn't make up for it. But you being here is a good thing. I'm not saying you actually being involved in things forcing things out of people, I'm talking more like people are showing their true colors now because it's someone new around and none of us know you. You're not one of us, who's been here your whole life and grow up with all of us."

"Oh I see."

We both were looking down at the ground now, not saying a word. The whole conversation just was so weird for me at the moment. Some of the conversation I was thrilled to hear but other I wasn't so happy to hear. I was finally glad to know that I wasn't actually causing all the drama, and I did find it funny that Michiko was seriously worried about me with Keitaro. I actually like the idea, which was totally wrong but I didn't care anymore. The silence broke once Keitaro's phone started vibrating again. He pulled the phone out of his pocket and started laughing. I just stared as he laughed, turning his face towards me, I was able to make out a little of what he said in with his laugh, "Well she's on the hunt! She's going everywhere looking for me!"

I didn't know why, but I found myself laughing with him. The whole laugh lasted for a few more seconds and we were back to silences. But it wasn't in no time Keitaro started to talking, "Hey can I ask you something?"

"Is it what you were going to ask me earlier?"

"Oh yeah I forgot all about that one, we'll save that one for later."

"Later?"

"Yeah right now isn't a good time for that one!"

"If you say so, so what's your question now?"

"Why do you feel the need to call me Keitaro? No one calls me that not even my family, well except for my father's parents. But no one else does, but you why that is?"

"I feel more comfortable calling you Keitaro. Kei just doesn't work for me I guess. I like your name, just saying it sounds neat to me like I told you before." I replied back with a smile feeling my face changing colors.

"Oh yeah, I forgot that you already explained that to me last time I asked!"

At that moment it felt almost the same as it did the moment we met. I couldn't help but to smile and stare into his deep dark eyes. Then I watched as he opened his mouth and realized he was getting ready to say something.

"So I guess maybe I should call you Gabrielle instead of G….."

"NO!" I shouted not realizing how loud I was.

Keitaro's eyes lit up from my little outburst, "Oh okay! Gab it is!"

I was still a little out of it from my sudden episode that I just had. I was so embarrassed I couldn't even look at him now.

"So what now Gab?"

Thinking about what we should do now, I came to realize that really all I wanted was to know more about him. So without holding back, I just said it, "I would really like to know more about you!"

I watched as his eyes get bigger and brighter, he's beautiful smile shot across his face, and he seem so eager to tell me whatever I wanted to know.

"Well what do you want to know?


End file.
